Dusted Features Every Friday, Dusted Magazine publishes a series of music-related lists compiled by our favorite artists. This week: Jeff Hanson and Panico. Tweet

Listed: Jeff Hanson + Panico

Jeff Hanson

Minneapolis-based singer/songwriter Jeff Hanson has one of the most uniquely surprising and comfortingly gentle voices around. His songwriting and arranging immediately calls to mind luminaries such as Elliott Smith and Nick Drake and is sufficiently captivating that in 2003 he became one of the first artists ever to sign with Kill Rocks Stars on the strength of an unsolicited demo. His new record, Jeff Hanson, is now available on Kill Rock Stars Records. You can learn a variety of fun facts (favorite holiday?!) at http://www.killrockstars.com/bands/jeffhanson/features/jeffhanson/index.html.

Jeff Hanson's Top 10 favorite singers of all time:
1. John Lennon - I think John Lennon has it all when it comes to singing. He could do the ballads just as well as the rockers. Greatest rock n roll voice ever, in my opinion.

2. Paul McCartney - I think Paul is mostly known for his ballads, which of course he sings perfectly. But I really like his voice in heavier numbers as well, like "Helter Skelter" and "Oh Darling" He has such a great tone to his voice - I have yet to hear another like it.

3. Otis Redding - It really doesn't get much better than Otis. Every note he sings just hits you like nothing else. "I've Been Loving You Too Long" and "These Arms of Mine" have a special place in my heart. I wish i could sing like him.

4. Aretha Franklin - Singing, to me, is all about emotion and expression. Aretha is so good at letting the listener know exactly how she feels. She never really asks you to listen, she demands it. With songs like "Think" and "Respect" you know damn well she wasn't taking any crap from anyone.

5. Nick Drake - There aren't a lot of voices out there that just haunt me, but Nick Drake's does. He has such a beautiful, honest voice. He's one of those rare artists that make me feel lucky to have found him. I think everyone needs a little Nick Drake in their lives.

6. Jackie Wilson - Jackie Wilson has such a unique singing style that it would be nearly impossible for anyone to try and sound like him. "To Be Loved" could be one of the best vocal performances ever, i think.

7. Sade - I remember being a kid and hearing Sade on the radio all the time and just loving her voice. It has such a timeless quality. Her voice has always had that slight touch of sadness to it that i find really intriguing.

8. Roy Orbison - This is the voice that is just pure raw talent. I get chills when i hear him sing "Crying" or better yet, "Blue Angel." He definitely stuck to a formula when writing songs but he did amazing things vocally, which kept his songs really interesting to me.

9. Simon/Garfunkel - I love both of their voices on their own, but when they sing together it really is just pure magic. I have always been a big fan of harmony, and Paul Simon knew exactly the right songs to write for their voices. Knowing your limits as a vocalist is important, and Paul was wise to hang in there with Garfunkel.

10. Colin Blunstone - The zombies are one of my favorite bands, and Colin Blunstone is probably the main reason why. He has a really pretty voice, plain and simple.

Panico

Chilean ensemble Panico allow more than a few retroactively hip influences seep into their sound, but don't rush to judgment - they have been rocking the post-punk sound since it was barely post (or at least since the mid 90s). Popping baselines, high-hat-heavy drums, and cowbell punctuate awkwardly endearing (and sometimes dirty!) English vocals on their catchy new album, Subliminal Kill, is now available on Tigersushi records.

1. Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes
This is their first album. Great folk punk with Velvet Underground stylish vocals. I haven’t heard any other record that sounds like that. It’s folk and modern at the same time.

2. Modern Lovers - Original Modern Lovers
This features their demos, produced by Kim Fowley. Raw sound, naive punk energy. Jonathan Richman sings better then ever on this. It’s so good, so wild and so sincere it gives you the thrills!!!

3. The Jesus and Mary Chain - Psychocandy
Oh man, this record blew up my mind when I first heard it. It’s surf music from hell done by two Scottish freaks on heroin. Guitars never sounded like that again in rock. It’s probably one of my favorites in terms of production. It all sounds like new wave and pre-90s rock.

4. De La Soul - 3 Feet High And Rising
That’s when we discovered hip hop could also be psychedelic. Intelligent, arty and definitely modern. I don’t like too much what they did then but this one’s a major hit. We really enjoy A Tribe Called Quest too and of course Digable Planets.

5. Perez Prado - La Epoca de Oro de Perez Prado
It’s a weird collection of Prado’s recordings from the 40’s before he got into the lounge stuff. Mambo, Voodoo and Black magic for this big band sounding as wild as the Stooges at their raw power years. But this is not rock, this is tropical and you’ll hardly get to hear more extreme Latin music. Original, Savage and dirty Mambo calling bodies to dance on death tropical beats.

6. Shogun - Demonio
An artist from Chile. This record’s from 1996 and sounds like stuff being done today. If you liked M83’s Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts, this one is for you. White noise, Bloody Valentine’s ambiance, low underground beats and a psyche voice on the back. It’s definitely the best record ever done in chile.

7. Sparklehorse - Wonderful Life
We saw them live before listening to their records. They sounded so weird, like if they where on Prozac or something…it was space folk… They are the kind of band that we love, a mix of folk songs and electronic. Wonderfull Life is my favorite. It’s full of ideas in terms of production and the songs are incredibly beautiful.

8. Cafe Tacuba - Re
These guys are from Mexico. They have plenty of records but to me this one is one their best along with an instrumental one called Reves. Their music sounds like traditional Mexican ranchera mixed with indie rock and sort of 80’s naive songs. On stage they play with acoustic guitars and mpc2000 drum machines. They are really raw and surprising. As many Latin bands, their sound is fresh and though this record is from 1995, it still sounds modern. Reminds me of the best stuff from Beck and Violent femmes but on a Latino way.

9. Moonshake - Dirty And Divine
We definitely enjoyed this 90’s London underground group. Formers from Laika and PJ Harvey’s band this guys mixed some kind of Krautrock with Jungle beats. Sounds like a cliché today but back in 96 it sounded pretty new. It’s cold wave, urban, groovy and arty at the same time.

10. Antipop Consortium - Tragic Epilogue
It’s their debut album. It was the first time I would listen to this weird mixture of electronica and avant garde hip hop poetry. Then I saw them live and completely flashed out on their dark underground attitude and their powerful music made out of vintage analog synths and drum machines. It all seemed improvised and very chaotic. It reminded me stuff like Autechre and Underground Resistance but in a hip hop way. To me this record sounds like No Wave Rap.

By Dusted Magazine

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