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RACES have been steadily building a word-of-mouth following across the Mountain West and their native Southern California since the release of their debut “Big Broom” EP last fall and their debut LP Year of the Witch this March. The LA sextet have been described as “Laurel Canyon’s answer to Broken Social Scene”. They just recently released a brand new video for “Year Of The Witch/Year Of The Child”.

Currently on a small tour of the East Coast, I was able to reach out to Wade Ryff, guitarist and vocalist of Races,  by email. Here is some of his favorite music that he recommends:

Leonard Cohen- Death of Ladies Man

Leonard Cohen and Phil Spector. This says it all. “Iodine” has one of my all time favorite drum sounds.

Television- Marquee Moon  

The interplay between the 2 guitars is something that really inspired Garth and I while we were working on our album.

The Shivers- Charades

It’s a strange but inspiring feeling when your friend is one of your favorite songwriters . “Beauty” and “L.I.E” are up there on my list of favorite songs ever written.

Sibylle Baier- Colour Green

Sibylle Baier is one of the best kept secrets. The story I’ve heard is that she recorded these songs between 1970-73 and never really did much with them.  Years later, her son found the recordings and compiled them on a cd to give to family. Somehow it got around to J. Mascis and was officially released in 2006.  True or not, I love that story.

Blake Mills- Break Mirrors

Everything about this album is wonderful. I remember the first time I heard “It’ll all Work Out”. It was at a small show he was playing in Hollywood somewhere. That song haunted me for months.