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Dusted Features
Every Friday, Dusted Magazine publishes a series of music-related lists compiled by our favorite artists. This week: Montreal garage mystic Mark Sultan and stoner standouts Torche.
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Listed: Mark Sultan + Torche
Mark Sultan (a.k.a. BBQ)
Emerging in the 1990s with The Spaceshits (singing with a bag over his head, going by the name "Creepy"), Mark Sultan hollered his way through roller derby-ready rock 'n' roll in a long parade of bands and identities. If songwriting skills and musical chops were never the point, he acquired them anyways, enough to pull off a one man band project, BBQ. More attention came Sultan’s way when BBQ and longtime collaborator King Kahn hooked up for some jangly and driving sides together. Last year, the Montreal native dropped all the aliases and made a disc under his own name, The Sultanic Verses, which found Sultan singing in a croon as smooth as Buddy Holly, whacking his way through fuzzed-out rockabilly that is more than a bit world-weary. The sounds are retro, but the forlorn mood matched with party beats is entirely fresh.
1. The Falcons - “Oh Baby”
I always expect my love of this band to wane, but after years of adulation, this stuff still manages to stir my soul. From impeccable vocals that tingle your spine to the otherworldly guitar stylings, this band has always been an inspiration. This particular song makes me wanna die.
2. Maleem Mahmoud Ghania with Pharoah Sanders - “Hamdouchi”
If I am listening to this song with you and you turn out to be on acid, please warn me so that I can leave the room as to avoid the repercussions. The absolute best of both worlds of organic mind-blowingness. I used to listen to the album this song is on so much a few years back that an ex-girlfriend destroyed it out of spite.
3. Art Ensemble Of Chicago - “Certain Blacks (Do What They Wanna)”
Punk as fuck.
4. Charlie Feathers
This guy just needs to be represented in your music 'collection.' With an unfathomable list of hits that span decades, he is a legend. I just hope even one person will read this and check him out - though you should already know him.
5. Raw Power - “Fuck Authority”
I first heard this song when I was 13 on Montreal college radio and it made me want to destroy everything. I can hardly decipher any lyrics, but the intent is glaring. I listen to this song daily.
6. Kaoru Abe / Hiroshi Yamazaki - Jazz Bed
When you get blown away by this brutal live performance and then hear the 10 claps from the audience, you realize people are kinda stupid and that it's ok to do stuff just cuz you love it.
7. The Golden Dawn - “Starvation”
Okay, okay... Now, I do realize this is a monumental 13th Floor Elevators rip-off. I am a MASSIVE fan of said band and I should never let this kind of thing slide. But I can, cuz it's that good. And it's kinda like finding a weird Elevators outtake.
8. The Soul Stirrers - “Touch The Hem Of His Garment”
Ah, Sam Cooke. You know I love him. Artists like he and The Falcons make people question their own atheism. All I know is that this one song contains more soul than everything released in the last 25 years combined.
9. Harold Jenkins (Conway Twitty) - “Crazy Dreams”
Awesome Sun Records shit.
10. Ornette Coleman - “Science Fiction”
Anything that makes me wanna skid off the road and die while driving is a must.
11. The Orioles - “It's Too Soon To Know”
Because it's true.
12. Alice Coltrane - Journey In Satchidananda
Thinking man's reading music. Thinking woman's sex music.
13. The Index - “Israeli Blue”
So happy three of my friends rejuvenated my love of this song, all within one week.
Torche
It’s no surprise that Torche hail from Florida, breeding ground of both death metal and pop-punk. Their second full-length, Meanderthal, features enough chugga-chugga riffs and thundering bass drum to sate headbangers, but its wall-of-sound major-key guitars are more My Bloody Valentine than Deicide. Steve Brooks’ tuneful vocals may remind a listener that his previous band, Floor, were labelmates of Less Than Jake (hopefully in a good way). The sum of these parts is perhaps the catchiest member of 2008’s class of standout heavy-rock releases. Brooks took part in this week’s Listed.
1. The Breeders - Last Splash
This made The Breeders my favorite band in the early ’90s. Feel good jams from start to finish. I still have a framed picture of Kim Deal on my wall.
2. The Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs
Men do cry and I’ve let the water run with this one.
3. Talk Talk - Spirit of Eden
Masterpiece!
4. Guided By Voices - Alien Lanes
Still a just about everyday listen.
5. Jane's Addiction - Nothings Shocking
In 1988, this flipped me around. Hard rock became free spirited in the ’80s and I was only 14.
6. Melvins - Bullhead
Nothing heavier and more fitting for who I was and am today.
7. Godflesh - Streetcleaner
So powerful. A drum machine is crushing? YES! Justin's voice inspired me to start singing.
8. Butthole Surfers - Locust Abortion Technician
Warped and so much fun.
9. Beatles - Rubber Soul through Let It Be
They did it all and did it so well in such a short time. I mean, look what they did in the last six years of their career and how much it changed us all.
10. Slayer - Reign in Blood
I think this is the most played record of my life. It's so fucking merciless. Nothing in "metal" has been able to top this since.
By Dusted Magazine
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