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Dusted Features
Every Friday, Dusted Magazine publishes a series of music-related lists determined by our favorite artists. This week: Pearls and Brass + Tralala.
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Listed: Pearls and Brass + Tralala
Pearls and Brass
Following the demise of Royal Trux, it was only a matter of time before Drag City unearthed the next great sludge rockers. Discovered in Nazarath, PA, grimey, riff-heavy stoner rockers Pearls and Brass should do the trick nicely. Unafraid to name check Blue Cheer and Led Zepplin in their own bio, Pearls and Brass live up to their comparisons, although Kyuss and Dead Meadow are probably more appropriate reference points. Their debut album tricked out in 2003, and their new record, The Indian Tower, oozes into stores and onto iTunes in early February. The album is a thundering behemoth of heavy licks, and I have no doubt that the live show is even more epic.
1. Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Tarkus (1971)
This record has always been a fave of mine. The 7 movement title track is truly a barrage on the gray matter. It kind of makes me want to smash shit, then realize my foolishness and glue it all back together.
2. Mahavishnu Orchestra - Birds of Fire (1973)
This was the one that opened my eyes. I was in like 10th grade digging through my dad's records and found this gem, put it on and pretty much couldn't move until the needle clicked back home. I do really like pretty much all their other stuff, including McLaughlin's acoustic solo stuff, but Birds of Fire is tops.
3. Vanilla Fudge - Renaissance (1968)
I've had this record a long time but only recently started listening to it. Really dig it alot. Just good, kind of creamy, psychedelic joy.
4. Circle Jerks - Golden Shower of Hits
When I was a boy of about 13, I would lock myself in my bedroom, and tune into WPRB out of Princeton NJ. This one dude was throwing on shit like Circus Lupus, Dazzling Killmen, and Boby Bomb. Then one day he played "Product of My Environment" off of this record and it changed my life forever.
5. Mississippi Fred McDowell
I Don't play no Rock n Roll - My favorite of all the blues men, sloppy and raw delta formulated blues accompanied by very simplistic drums and bass. McDowell replaces the last word of every vocal line with his characteristic metallic slide. He also rambles alot on this record.
6. Allison Krauss and Union Station - Live
I would eat a mile of her shit just to find out where it comes from. No one on earth has a skill level or voice of this woman. It also makes me feel zero guilt about absolutely loving new millenium country music.
7. Lowrider - Ode to Io
Apparently this is a Kyuss bite, but I haven't heard Kyuss, so who cares. This is the soundtrack to a van ride through an apocalyptic Yuma Arizona, a perfectly executed "desert rock" record and a reason to throw all other heavy rock records in the garbage.
Tralala
Tralala are a seven boys and girls from New York who make amphetamine-fueled '50s pop. They formed in 2003 as Tight Fit, but ran into a little trouble with another band of the same name from the U.K., hence the new name. A product not of their time, Tralala combine the innocence of American Graffiti with the psychedelic haze of the Jesus and Mary Chain, culminating in one of the finer songs of 2005 "The Girls Say." Their truly unique sound has earned them openings with Reigning Sound, The Dirtbombs, Ted Leo, even Franz Ferdinand. Their debut album was released last year on Audika records (which you may know from those Arthur Russell reissues that you bought...right?). We would also be remiss if we didn't mention how incredibly good looking the band is. And with that, here's Nicole Lang with this week's Listed.
1. Misfits
This is the best band in the whole world. Go listen to Hybrid Moments or Some Kinda Hate and try to tell me otherwise. Danzig is KING. I went as Doyle this year for Halloween. The coffin Box Set (Caroline) is never far from my CD player. (Also, Dave Grant's audience performance that completely dwarfed the Misfits cover band we saw the day before Halloween. He busted up the crowd with old hardcore stances and gave the singer a proper lesson on how to MISFIT.)
2. Johnny Cash
Unfuckwithable.
3. Jesus Lizard - Liar (Touch and Go)
The first six tracks on this record have kept me from certain doom countless times.
4. Mastodon - ”Blood and Thunder” from Leviathan (Relapse)
I love everything about this record. The cover is so erotic and beautiful and terrifying, but the real treat is “Blood and Thunder.” I must have listened to it more than any other song this past year. “NO MAN OF THE FLESH CAN EVER STOP ME.”
5. Boris - Live in-store at Other Music early 2005
They had two Orange stacks, a gong and a baby. Mind numbingly awesome. I bloodied my knuckles.
6. DuMac and Cheese
In Williamsburg, this restaurant DuMont makes the most incredible mac and cheese with Radiatore pasta, Gruyere and (though I try to be good and order it without sometimes) succulent chunks of pancetta. They take it out for those with the veg edge and it still rules.
7. Ghostface Killah - The Pretty Toney (Def Jam)
I completely SLEPT on this for months like a fool even though I loved Supreme Clientele something fierce. Anyway as soon as I put it on I was unable to take it off. I love Wu production So bummed I missed hearing this out on the dancefloor.
8. Arrested Development
This show poops all over anything else on network. Of course, they axed it because it's not “American Idol” or some reality show garbage. If it goes to Showtime, I may have to get cable.
9. David Shrigley
Messy drawings and crudely scribbled funny satiric art for people like me who are mentally challenged when it comes to contemporary art. “To Make The Egg Whites You Must Beat the Meringue To Look Like This” is my
favorite of his books.
10. Roky Erickson and The Aliens
Roky thinks of Demons for you. Passionate banshee paeans for zombies and creatures of the night from legendary ex-13th Floor Elevator, post mental freak out and lysergic induced madness. Real rock and roll songs become these songs when they die. Thanks to fire demons Josh and Marty for bringing me some of the best shit I have ever heard. Ever.
By Dusted Magazine
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