Devon Ross' Favorite Records

Next up in the Favorite Records series is actress and musician, Devon Ross! She recently starred in the HBO/A24 original series Irma Vep directed by Olivier Assayas and carried the lead role in Indie-cult favorite, My First Film directed by Zia Anger.

For this series, artists list 10-15 of their favorite albums (rules are at least one must contain synths or drum machines of some kind). Why so broad a site with "synth" in its name!? The goal is to explore artist's record collections whilst showing how electronic sounds coexist within a multitude of genres!

Devon's album Pin-Ups is out now, a reimagining of songs from legendary artists like Bob Dylan, Buddy Holly, Randy Newman and Harry Nilsson.

Without further ado...

Photos provided by Ambar Navarro for Synth History.

Devon Ross by Ambar Navarro.

1. Pavement – Wowee Zowee

This is one of the records that made me want to write songs. Stephen Malkmus’ witty and stream of consciousness lyrics are unmatched, and this record has some of their most beautiful songs in my opinion.

2. My Bloody Valentine – Loveless

Kevin Shields once again creating out of this world sounds with his guitar. Featuring a cool filtered loop, maybe a drum machine on the last song “Soon”.

3. The Jesus and Mary Chain – Psychocandy

Their first record featuring Bobby Gillespie on drums. This record opens with one of the greatest songs, “just like honey” It’s loud and it’s fuzzy and it’s like Phil Spector meets Velvet Underground.

4. Sonic Youth – EVOL

This record is great for a number of reasons, and one of them being Richard Kerns photograph of Lung Leg on the cover. The song “Madonna, Sean and me” is such an epic noise journey to go on, and “Starpower” is one of my favorite songs.

5. The Beatles – The White Album

This is The Beatles only double album, and covers pretty much everything. it goes from hard rock to showtune, to experimental avant garde to beautiful melody driven acoustic songs. It’s always felt really personal of them to me, and really kind of naked. Recorded at a time the band reportedly was falling apart, but it all resulted In one of the coolest most dense Beatles Records.

6. The Beach Boys – Pet Sounds

This record to me represents a new approach to music making at the time. Brian Wilson taking the reins while his brothers were on tour. Recorded with the Wrecking Crew, has some of the best and unusual sonics, and breathtaking harmonies. Not to mention the revolutionary songwriting.

7. Brian Eno – Here Come the Warm Jets

Eno's first solo record after his exit from Roxy Music. Full of prog rock hero’s like Robert Fripp, surf guitar lines, synths and experimentalism. So detailed and also has very catchy songs while still maintaining his avant-garde sound.

8. Sly and the Family Stone – Fresh

Mostly recorded by Sly on his own. It’s like autour driven funk and it’s one of the first uses of drum machines on a record after There’s a Riot Goin on. It’s also a precursor to the low fi bedroom records people make now. The “do it yourself” approach.

9. The Rolling Stones – Exile on Main St

I was always drawn to the stories surrounding the recording of this record. Most of it being done in the basement of Keith Richards home in the South of France, and finished at Sunset Sound in LA. This to me is the most low fi and gritty the stones got, and every song has a certain type of looseness. To critics at the time was regarded as “muddy and unfinished” But that’s what I love about it.

10. Pink Floyd – The Dark Side of the Moon

A sonic masterpiece. A technicolor explosion of synthesizers, rock epics, and food for thought lyrics.

Synth History Exclusive.

Photos by Ambar Navarro.

Lighting Assistant Max Flick.

Styling by KiKi Stash.

Conducted by Danz.