Sune Rose Wagner’s recommendation: “Buddy Holly always moved me because he wrote amazing, simple songs. I used to watch the Buddy Holly Story incessantly when I was a kid. The Everly Brothers are some of the best singers and recorded great songs by terrific writers like Felice and Boudleaux Bryant. All I Have To Do Is Dream is incredibly moving. Sonic Youth opened a entirely new world for me. Daydream Nation was my first purchase and I had a love/hate relationship with it for a long time. I was intrigued by the dissonance and words but a little perplexed by the lack of really melodic “traditional” songs.”
About our guest author, Sune Rose Wagner: Sune is the songwriter, co-singer and guitarist for The Raveonettes, the band that Kurt Loder simply could not stop speaking and writing about in 2003. The band perfectly combines ’50s harmonies and Spectorish production with a smack of Velvet Underground punk attitude for good measure. They’re critic darlings, music snob darlings and should be a hell of a lot bigger than they are. Sune Rose literally scoured the Earth to put this band together and his effort paid off, big time. Their somehow simultaneously retro and modern songs are some of the most infectious tunes that have come out in the last ten years and their latest release Raven In the Grave lives up the the excellence of their past releases. The band also kills it live, so be sure to check their tour page for upcoming gigs.
Greta Morgan’s recommendation: “My former band, The Hush Sound, shared a tour bus with Phantom Planet for three months while on the Honda Civic Tour in 2008 and we became very close with them. I’d grown up listening to their album Guest, and have always considered it one of the strongest pop records of the decade. The songs on that album are total melodic perfection, streamlined and smart, with California easiness balancing the right amount of old school rock n roll charm.”
If you are new to Phantom Planet, Greta recommends you start here: “Phantom Planet’s Raise The Dead (2008) didn’t get as much public spotlight as it should’ve because the band broke up after the album had been released only 6 months. It’s genius though, particularly Dropped and I Don’t Mind. If you missed this total gem of pop perfection, snag a copy now!”
About our guest author, Greta Morgan: According the the band bio, Gold Motel front-woman Greta Morgan wrote her first song at the age of three! Fast forward to adult life where Greta fronted the Chicago based band, The Hush Sound, which specialized in sweet, sweet pop. Three albums later, Greta relocated to California and now fronts Gold Motel whose music is described as “the dreamy energy of The Kinks, the quickwitted lyrical dexterity of Elvis Costello, the unassuming sophistication of a Beach Boys melody, light as air and deep as the Pacific” on their web site. Their first full length offering, Summer House fully supports the description. Catch some sunshine at their live shows this Winter/Fall.
The Quote, singer for The Saturday Night Live Band: “Dusty Springfield, for the deep, sensuous thrill of her voice and the unfailingly great songs she interpreted.”
The Source: Rock Torch Exclusive, 1/28/10
More on: Christine Ohlman: Editor’s note: Christine Ohlman is a long-time vocalist with the Saturday Night Live Band, performed in Bob Dylan’s 30th Anniversary bash at The Garden and the Obama Inaugural Gala. In short, if you don’t know her, you should. Check her new CD which features back up from the legendary Dion DiMucci, Marshall Crenshaw and others.
New to Dusty Springfield? Start here: ‘”Dusty In Memphis” showed her evolving and breaking out of the Brit-pop mold, with production by Jerry Wexler and songs by Randy Newman and Eddie Hinton. Get the reissue. It’s got bonus tracks.’
The recommendation from David Bielanko, singer and guitarist for Marah: “Lately I’ve been listening to Dexter Romweber/The Flat Duo Jets a lot. Dexter is a channeler, a lot like Jerry Lee or Son House or some other such bad-ass. He’s so far into his own world that he’s nearly impossible to criticize or critique. On stage I’ve seen him and a drummer (Crow!) put audiences into a fevered devil trance, I’ve seen him play unrepeatable guitar parts and invert rhythms making two men sound like a train, like a blizzard. It would be easy for a novice to call him “retro” or “rockabilly” but fuck that, Dexter is a real punk, a rock n roller in the way that can’t be taught, a natural born killah. Check him out.”
Editor’s Note: Marah was one of the bands that inspired me to start RockTorch.com in the first place (I found out about Marah by reading praise for the band from artists I love, saw them in Virginia and have been dragging friends to shows ever since), so this contribution from David is a huge honor. Viva Marah!
About our guest author, Sune Rose Wagner: Sune is the songwriter, co-singer and guitarist for The Raveonettes, the band that Kurt Loder simply could not stop speaking and writing about in 2003. The band perfectly combines ’50s harmonies and Spectorish production with a smack of Velvet Underground punk attitude for good measure. They’re critic darlings, music snob darlings and should be a hell of a lot bigger than they are. Sune Rose literally scoured the Earth to put this band together and his effort paid off, big time. Their somehow simultaneously retro and modern songs are some of the most infectious tunes that have come out in the last ten years and their latest release Raven In the Grave lives up the the excellence of their past releases. The band also kills it live, so be sure to check their tour page for upcoming gigs.
, and have always considered it one of the strongest pop records of the decade. The songs on that album are total melodic perfection, streamlined and smart, with California easiness balancing the right amount of old school rock n roll charm.”
(2008) didn’t get as much public spotlight as it should’ve because the band broke up after the album had been released only 6 months. It’s genius though, particularly Dropped and I Don’t Mind. If you missed this total gem of pop perfection, snag a copy now!”
About our guest author, Greta Morgan: According the the band bio, Gold Motel front-woman Greta Morgan wrote her first song at the age of three! Fast forward to adult life where Greta fronted the Chicago based band, The Hush Sound, which specialized in sweet, sweet pop. Three albums later, Greta relocated to California and now fronts Gold Motel whose music is described as “the dreamy energy of The Kinks, the quickwitted lyrical dexterity of Elvis Costello, the unassuming sophistication of a Beach Boys melody, light as air and deep as the Pacific” on their 
fully supports the description. Catch some sunshine at 
