Os A Place To Bury Strangers são amplamente reconhecidos como “a banda mais ruidosa de Nova Iorque”, título conquistado através de décadas de exploração sonora no limite do caos. Liderado por Oliver Ackermann o grupo é atualmente um trio que inclui John Fedowitz e Sandra Fedowitz.
A reputação mítica da banda assenta na capacidade de transformar a distorção em beleza pura, utilizando o palco como um laboratório de experimentação. Em 2026, o trio abriu os seus arquivos mais profundos com o lançamento de Rare and Deadly, uma compilação que reúne uma década de material inédito, demos e raridades. Este registo, fiel ao espírito inconformista do grupo, revela os A Place To Bury Strangers no seu estado mais cru e experimental, desafiando mais uma vez as convenções do rock.
É este compromisso absoluto com o risco que torna esta lista de discos que agora apresentam tão especial. Em exclusivo para a Mente Cultural, Oliver, John e Sandra selecionaram 21 álbuns que definem a génese do seu som e da sua identidade. Esta lista é um mapa fascinante que oferece um vislumbre raro sobre as referências que alimentam um dos projetos mais influentes da vanguarda rock contemporânea.
(as palavras que acompanham cada álbum são mantidas na língua original por forma a não perder a intenção original das mesmas)
1. The Dead Milkmen
Big Lizard in my Backyard (1985)
escolha de John Fedowitz
This album from 1984 or 85 is great. I started listening to this record when I was in middle school riding the bus home with my Walkman. Introduced it to my kids at the same age. I still listen to it today. I probably know all the lyrics.
2. The Cure
Disintegration (1989)
escolha de John Fedowitz
One of the most important albums for me. And one of the best albums of all time. Growing up listening to this album helped me through the years and helped teach me how to write songs.
3. Ministry
Psalm 69: The Way to Succeed and the Way to Suck Eggs (1992)
escolha de John Fedowitz
Another album that was a big influence regarding song writing and sound scapes. I would paint to this album when I was younger and still listen to it when I’m feeling creative.
4. The Velvet Underground
The Best of The Velvet Underground: Words and Music of Lou Reed (1989)
escolha de John Fedowitz
I bought this CD after seeing the Doors movie in 9th grade. The song “Heroin” plays in the movie and I loved it so much that I stayed for the credits just to see who that song was by. Then went to the CD store when I had enough money and bought the best of VU. I loved it so much. It opened my eyes to thinking I could write music too, and not have to be good at my instrument. What a relief that was. I finally had confidence to do it.
5. Misfits
Collection (1986)
escolha de John Fedowitz
This album was my favorite punk album growing up. It sounded so different from The Dead Kennedys or Black Flag. It was so dark and recorded badly. It felt like the way I would like my album to sound. I didn’t have a real copy of it. It was a tape dub from a friend. I lost touch with it for a few years after moving out of my parents home. Years later there was a huge snow storm and my parents needed help shoveling snow. I walked from the city I lived in to the suburbs where my parents lived. I went into my old room and opened my box of tapes and grabbed my old Walkman, put Plan 9 in and shoveled all day. I couldn’t believe I stopped listening to this album. So good.
6. The Raveonettes
Whip It On (2002)
escolha de John Fedowitz
Oliver and Paul from Skywave introduced me to this album. When I first heard it I was blown away. The guitars and drums sounds were exactly like what Skywave was trying to do at the time, at least in my ears. I saw that they were having their first US tour coming up and bought tickets. I saw them in a crowd of 20 people at a university cafeteria. They played great and were really ruff on their guitars. I still love this album.
7. V.A.
Honeybeat: Groovy 60s Girl-Pop (2017)
escolha de Sandra Fedowitz
I love releases that unearth songs and artists beyond what made it into mainstream. This compilation was put together by Sheila Burgel. She put a lot of effort into collecting these less popularized songs and the stories behind them. If you like Shangri-Las and the Ronettes, you might have fun with this one.
8. PJ Harvey
4-Track Demos (1993)
escolha de Sandra Fedowitz
I was excited when PJ Harvey decided a couple of years ago to release the demos of her early albums. I love the rawness of demos in general, not only on this collection. Oftentimes I like the demo version of a song more than the version that makes it on an album. Demos have an intimacy, a feeling of question, openness and endless possibilities.
9. Prince and the Revolution
Purple Rain (1984)
escolha de Sandra Fedowitz
Classic and epic all the way around. It’s Prince, the song “When Doves Cry” is on this album. What else is there to say…
10. MAQUINA.
PRATA (2024)
escolha de Sandra Fedowitz
We played multiple shows with Maquina and had a shit ton of fun. Their live shows are intense. They make you dance! This album captures the mood of their shows pretty well. Heavy, dark, self confident, bad ass, awesome bass lines!
NÃO FIQUES DEPENDENTE DO ALGORITMO
Junta-te ao CLUB
11. Ministry
Chicago/Detroit 1982 (Live) (1982)
escolha de Sandra Fedowitz
I have been listing to Ministry for decades but found this album pretty recently. I love the live sound, the pushy drums and the arrangement of these earlier Ministry songs. Al Jourgensen’s song writer journey drew a pretty gigantic arch if you think about the early danc-y 80 stuff to his later harsher industrial sound. I like it both.
12. Chad VanGaalen
Diaper Island (2011)
escolha de Sandra Fedowitz
Diaper Island has a certain type of softness that I really appreciate. It’s one of these albums that make you sing along. I love how Chad VanGaalen plays with dissonance and beauty. Great album!
13. Etta James
At Last! (1960)
escolha de Sandra Fedowitz
I think this is Etta James’ debut album. I love the sound of recording in the 60s in general and Etta’s voice is phenomenal. This record sounds strong and tender simultaneously to me. This is an album that you would listen with me when we have breakfast together on a Sunday morning.
14. Laurie Anderson
Big Science (1982)
escolha de Sandra Fedowitz
“From the Air”, “Big Science”, “Sweater”, and especially “O Superman”: all awesome songs. I love listening to this album with good headphones, hearing every single detail and feeling cocooned into Laurie Anderson’s sonic landscape.
15. Suzanne Ciani
Buchla Concerts 1975 (2016)
escolha de Sandra Fedowitz
The only thing better than listening to this album is listening to Suzanne Ciani live! If you ever have the chance to attend one of her concerts, please go! She has an amazing presence and can literally carry you away with her sound waves! Buchla Concerts will always be one of my favorite albums of all times. Another good one for headphones.
16. The Serfs
Sounds of Serfdom (2020)
escolha de Oliver Ackermann
This record just drips with the sound of cool. Like what you imagine happens in a dirty underground dance world. It’s dark, damp, everyone has shades on the vibe is just right. This record has just the right touch of everything at every moment.
17. Coachwhips
Bangers Vs. Fuckers (2004)
escolha de Oliver Ackermann
This record gets straight to the point, high-strung fun, slam after slam of bangers. You gotta kind of brace for it, it’s not the sort of record you want to put on all the time but more when you want to cleanse the palate for something completely different. It definitely flushes out whatever the fuck you were just listening to.
18. Crystal Stilts
Crystal Stilts EP (2006)
escolha de Oliver Ackermann
I love the sluggish vibe of this EP. It really seems like you are looking into a tiny world of yesteryear. I remember seeing this band years ago closer to the time I had moved to NY and they were one of the first bands I saw that was doing what I had always loved about dark attitude driven music. It crossed between it seeming like they just didn’t care and were hanging on for dear life.
19. Dead Combo
Dead Combo (2004)
escolha de Oliver Ackermann
This record has some freaking serious attitude from 2 of NY’s most notorious rockers. These Lower East Siders via Finland got their leather jackets on tight, don’t give a fuck, and just bleed all over everything. Its some raw freaking power and it is cool.
20. New Order
Movement (1981)
escolha de Oliver Ackermann
This album has so many cool moments where it sounds like a song is going one place and it turns and goes another. Some of these records from so long ago just have this certain vibe that could never really be replaced. There are some real simple drum synths played with some real passion on this. I guess after losing their frontman they had to come up with something new for this band.
21. The Velvet Underground & Nico
The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967)
escolha de Oliver Ackermann
This record has such a vibe, there’s definitely a bit of a strange thing going on, Nico‘s voice is just so interesting and Lou weaves these weird dream stories creating a world you only wished you could take part in. The whole thing is set up before your eyes to get a snapshot of a cooler underground society that seems to be just living for whatever they want.
* fotografia de Heather Bickford
