The first time I saw The Preakness live I was completely blown away. The guitar work of Brandon Arnold is so intricate, so inspired, and so effortless it makes you want to quit playing your own instrument because there is absolutely no way you could ever be that graceful and intuitive. Throw in multi-instrumentalist/co-vocalist Tracy Clark and inventive drummer Matt Glagola and you have what is perhaps the best live act Atlanta has to offer.
Their debut album A Class Act In A Bad Situation just came out on Two Sheds Music. All 13 tracks are extremely well crafted, intelligent delights. The dual vocals take the recordings from merely excellent to incredible. There are too many great songs on the album to point to one or two tracks as standouts. However, their cover of Smog's "A Hit" is pretty special. Take a listen to the songs in the player below. It's worth your time.
We caught up to The Preakness via the interwebs. Thankfully, they gave us a few moments of their time to answer some highly suspicious questions:
Viva: What is the most embarrassing band you loved as a kid?
BRANDON: I had a picture of Cindy Lauper on my Trapper Keeper but she's not a band, so I'll just say Dokken
MATT: Phil Collins
TRACY: Missing Persons, but that did not stop me from buying the album for a dollar recently.
Viva: Who has the worst practice ethic?
BRANDON: Mark Crifasi
MATT: Nobody, we love that stuff!
TRACY: We have champagne jams …and no one can fight when champagne is involved
Viva: Who would win in a fight, Falcor....or Mr. Snuffaluffagus?
BRANDON: A street fight, or something more organized like a boxing match? I think Snuff does better when it's no holds barred.
MATT: I believe they would settle their differences in a gentlemanly manner.
TRACY: Falcor obviously - he's REAL...duurrr.
Viva: What is the funniest thing that happened to you at a show?
BRANDON: A tree fell on my car. Oh wait, that wasn't funny. Probably the time my pants fell down mid song. Oh wait, that didn't happen. Maybe the tampon joke. Yeah...the tampon joke is the funniest thing.
MATT: Twinkies were hurled at us violently
TRACY: A gorilla came up on stage and tried to play my bass while it was still attached to me. Also, someone sharpied on our email list “may God have mercy on you SWINE” – I don’t know what we did but, it’s really great to know we’re reaching out to people and making a difference.
Viva: What's the worst song you have covered live?
BRANDON: I once covered Baby's Got Back with another band. Our cover songs have been pretty rad.
MATT: All songs I've covered are awesome.
TRACY: Good song that we covered badly: we mutilated "Yeah, Oh Yeah" by Magnetic Fields. Bad song that we covered awesomely: is yet to come and I believe it will be by REO speedwagon.
Viva: Who's in heavy rotation on your iPod?
BRANDON: A lot of old soul music and metal right now.
MATT: Smog/ the Joggers
TRACY: Bird and the Bee, Motorhead, Heartless Bastards, Alexander Robotnick, A Date with John Waters (album), Joy Division.
Viva: What is the worst fight you have gotten into with each other?
BRANDON: I think it was over toothpaste brands. I still say Aquafresh...I mean, it's three in one protection for Christ's sake.
MATT: I've only played with these guys for a few months now. So far, so good. No fighting yet but I can be pushed only so far and then I snap. We'll see.
TRACY: Since the guys don’t wear eyeliner, we are argument-free
Visit the Preakness Online:
The Preakness Myspace
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