Dusted Features Every Friday, Dusted Magazine publishes a series of music-related lists determined by our favorite artists. This week: Merge smooch-rockers The Rosebuds and Version City newcomers The Amber Smith Tweet

Listed: The Rosebuds + The Amber Smith

The Rosebuds

The Rosebuds, a pop band born "just down tobacco row from Merge HQ" had booked their first show before they were even a band. Their demo caught the ear of Merge last year, and the highly-respected indie rock label leapt at the opportunity to release their debut, Makeout (Merge, 2003). Recorded with NC go-to producer Brian Paulson, Makeout is a collection of saccharine sincerity and classic pop hooks that has already attracted the attention of fans and critics alike. Watch for the Rosebuds on tour in January.

Top 10 moments in music for me. Ivan from The Rosebuds

1. The Buddy Holly Story - 1978 movie starring non other than a young Gary Busey. It followed the short life of Buddy Holly up to the infamous plane crash that killed Buddy himself, The Big Bopper and little Richie Valens, Busey learned all the guitar parts and played the songs and sang all the vocals live. Best lines of the movie: "Well tell them Boola Boola for me,"(when his girlfriend went of to college with out him); " Well we did not expect you either"(Apollo show); "Makes my heart skip a beat ya’ll." I wonder if Buddy was that good?

2. Wipers/Everclear - split 7" from Flipside magazine - Somehow on my dirt road I grew up on, I got my hands on an old Flip-side punk magazine that had a flexible vinyl 7" in it which had the song "Silver Sail" by the Wipers on it. It sounded like crap but when the vocal shouted " I want awaaaaaayyyyy yea" It was magic for me. My love affair with Greg Sage and the Wipers was official. Never liked the Everclear song though.

3. The Ventures - "Walk Don’t Run" - When I was a kid my parents car had the Ventures greatest hits basically stuck in the cassette deck. Whenever I first heard the song "Walk don’t Run" it made so much sense. The melody and guitar sound, plus it sounded like every TV theme I have ever loved compiled into one 2 minute song that will never get old.

4. The Dismemberment Plan - "What Do You Want Me to Say / The City" - By random chance I happen to stumble into a local club in Wilmington NC that faithful night. The Plan was opening up for a local band called Rural Swine, which I loved at the time. All of a sudden they started into a song called "What do you want me to Say" then into another called "The City." It was pandemonium in my head. Still have a hard time explaining just how perfect it was to my ears. RIP Dismemberment Plan.

5. The Beatles - Live at the BBC (Capitol) - I bought this record a few years back in a pawn shop in Wilmington, NC for a couple of dollars. 60+ songs of pure early Beatles pop with interviews in between. All played live on the radio. When they kick into "Shot of Rhythm and Blues" its great! "With a little rock and roll by your side just for good measure" Whoever wrote that, I owe him one. And whoever sold that CD, I hope that had another one.

6. Swervedriver - What a great band. When they released the album Mezcal Head I was blown away. It was the first album that I really paid attention to the way it sounded. Ventures riffs, Beatles chords, under a pool of sound that you could practically swim in with a cool as can be vocal coming though. In "Last Train to Satansville" when they click the glasses together and he sings "and I’m talking in my drink" that’s right on.

7. Danelectro Guitars - The DC-2 - That’s what I play. It started out as a necessity as far as my finances are concerned, but those lipstick pickups attract me like a bear to honey. Something about that sound. of course not the best in the world. But if you would like to sound like the 50,60,70,80,90,or 2000’s that guitar can fit the mold, Or maybe I am jut partial?

8. Tom Petty - "Love is a Long Road" - Not my favorite Petty song by a long shot, but the first time I got to see the Heartbreakers live they opened up with that keyboard riff. And it was great. I remember thinking I did not really think to much of that song on Full Moon Fever but it set the trend of the night for hit after hit of each song I knew every word to. Thanks, Tom. Maybe you’ll like The Rosebuds too!

9. The Lost Boys Soundtrack - Probably the most famous record in my mind that I have never heard, or see no reason to hear in the future. But that movie was a perfect 80’s film. "it’s not rice Michael" hahahahah. Can’t make 'em that cheesy if you tried. But it makes me feel good.

10. White Zombie Live - My first live show experience ever. My brother took me down to Wilmington, NC to see them perform at an old venue called the Mad Monk. All I can remember is people jumping from the balcony’s moshing, blood, dreadlocks, and feeling scared, but not really thinking to myself my small town really sucks now. They were a pop band in my head. I have not heard them in 10 years, nor do I really want to, but I will never forget that experience. Thanks Tommy White!

The Amber Smith

The Amber Smith has just released their first EP, From Upper Lip to Lower Hip on Version City Records (who have put out records by the Liars, Oneida, Ssion, Dan Melchior's Broke Revue among others). In their ranks are former members of the French Kicks and the BMX Bandits. Their sound is incredibly catchy jangle pop, not unlike Big Star or Teenage Fanclub. The band has been gigging around NYC for over a year and has played such venues as Sin-e, Pianos, Luna Lounge, Lit, Don Hill's and Galapagos.

1. Big Star - Radio City -The perfect pop record, but rather than rehearsing the same clichés about ringing guitars and perfect harmonies, I’ll just say that this record has meant more to me than any other. Alex Chilton may claim now that some of the compositions on this record aren’t even songs, but whatever they are, once they have you, they don’t let go.

2. Terry Reid - Terry Reid - With a voice somewhere between Rod Stewart and Robert Plant, Reid deserved to play on the same stage. This record has that great early ’70s sense of experimentation, as if all avenues were open and anything might happen next. The vocal and emotional workout Reid makes of his cover of “Stay with Me” is stunning.

3. Orange Juice - Ostrich Churchyard - Four guys in tartans playing ailing Chic songs with Velvet Underground guitars and singing miles above their range, how could we not love it? This is the real punk rock, guaranteed to piss off hipsters, punks, and metalheads alike.

4. The Byrds - Fifth Dimension - I don’t think the Byrds ever achieved the effect they wanted with their space-age (or at least jet-age) folk rock, but they certainly arrived at a fascinating sound. Modal solos on an electric 12-string and dense harmonies make this a perfect headphone record for NYC; you’ll swear you were in Midnight Cowboy.

5. Reigning Sound - Time Bomb High School - We were lucky enough to play a show with this fantastic Memphis band. Their latest record is garage rock the way it ought to be played, neither obnoxiously contemporary nor slavishly retro. Instead, the band compresses their songs to the absolute essentials and then singer Greg Cartwright burns them down.

6. Marvin Gaye - In Our Lifetime - The greatest singer ever performing compositions that are completely his own. This isn’t often considered among his best records, but it seems to be his most unique particularly in the way it captures the conflict between his political and spiritual convictions and his sexual fantasies and the pain of his personal tragedies. There is no other record that sounds like this one.

7. The Action - Rolled Gold - A lost classic that should have seen the light of day. A band that had been produced by George Martin on soul covers gets no production and writes their own material in the studio. It wouldn't work if what they came up with weren't genius. Listen to blue-eyed soul, folk rock, and psychedelia come together.

8. The Soft Machine - Volume One - These guys can really play. But what makes this record a favorite is how subtle they can be. They make songs with strange time signatures and jazz chords sound like pop standards soft enough for Robert Wyatt’s fragile vocals to add the perfect punctuation.

9. Dusty Springfield - Dusty in Memphis - Another perfect singer complemented here by the perfect band. Who knew that the Memphis sessioners could play adult pop of the highest sophistication? Supposedly, Dusty used to sing “Breakfast in Bed” to her lover in bed. The rest of us can only dream.

10. The Fall - This Nation's Saving Grace - It rocks!!

By Dusted Magazine

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