Blog: 17 seconds

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Light Syndicate -'Last In Line' (Pushbike Recordings) There are few phrases more likely to make bloggers or record shop staff moan (apart from questions about really awful acts, I suppose) than bands saying 'Our music is really hard to categorise.' It smacks of people wanting to make out that they are really different and is almost never the case. Turgid, blantant, unaoriginal ripoffs are what follow on hearing. Light Syndicate don't make that claim - but they are one of the few bands that would genuinely have the right to do so. This album shows a [...]

The Autons -'Who do you think you are kidding?' (Jelly Maid Music) Whoomph! It's only the first week of 2009 and this has arrived, packing a very mighty punch and ready to make you sit up and listen. The Autons' second album is the sound of a band ready to blow away all the cobwebs of insipid indie rock and show how beats and mighty guitar riffs can comebine together to produce something truly intoxicating. I've been walking around with this on my headphones for the last week or so. It's something really special Hell, I [...]

I received an email yesterday asking if I could repost the Special AKA's version of Free Nelson Mandela, so I hope I picked the right one... anyway, it gives me an opportunity to do one of my Peel posts. First up, these were Pell sessions tracks that made the Festive Fifty in 1989, and went on to become chart hits the following year: Inspiral Carpets -'This Is How It Feels (session).' mp3 (1989 Festive Fifty no.35) Inspiral Carpets -'She Comes In The Fall (session).' mp3 [...]

Hello all, hope you had a good New Year's Eve - I had a good one, but even though I don't drink anymore I still feel exhausted. Ah well... So what's up for 2009? Musically, I'm predicting that guitar rock will take a back seat to more electronic sounds. At least, I am worn out with over-produced indie by numbers. It's not big and it's getting less and less clever. As for what the blog offers, expect the usual mix of the painfully obscure and the wildly obvious, bizarre covers, videos, interviews, tips on [...]

Damon and Naomi -'More Sad Hits' (Re-issue) (20-20-20) A year after Galaxie 500 dissolved, Damon Krukowski and Naomi Yang returned to producer their producer Kramer's studio and recorded this album chock-full of what have been described as psychedelic break-up songs. When Galaxie 500 had disbanded, they weren't even sure about continuing, and according to the sleevenotes to this re-issue, seemed to have enetered a stage of almost hibernation where they listened to Robert Wyatt's Rock Bottom over and over again. Comrade Wyatt - and I use that phrase as warmly as possible - described this [...]

• Damon & Naomi - E.T.A.

The Old Romantic Killer Band -'The Swan With Two Necks (Bad Sneakers) TORKB sound like an interesting proposition on paper, a singer/guitarist with an obsession with American blues and British folk and a drummer fired up by heavy metal and 80s hardcore. Following on from two singles they unleash their debut album, which is nine tracks and twenty two minutes long. The good news is that there is no messing around. The...well, not exactly bad news as such, but reality is that as with their single 'You Don't Know How To Love' (not included [...]

Nickel Eye - 'The Time Of the Assassins' (Ryko) Nickel Eye is Nikolai (say Nickel Eye out loud, then cringe) Fraiture of The Strokes' solo project. With the Strokes seemingly still on hiatus, he came to England and recorded an album of his own. Including guest appearances from Nick Zinner (of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, talking of bands who we are due another album from) and Regina Spektor. So far, so good... ..Unfortunately, his backing band are South, who have well and truly jumped the shark. Added to which, most of the songs feel like badly [...]

They may have receievd a lot of flack over the years (a fair bit of which is almost certainly tall poppy syndrome), but I think it's time for people to embrace the music of early Simple Minds. Rather like with Roxy Music, the early stuff was genuinely pioneering, and has dated much better than some of the later stuff. And controversial though this may be for some, I think they were far more pioneering in their early days than U2, with whom they were always compared. They didn't want to be considered Jockrock and the song titles reflected an interest [...]

Hello folks...hope you had a good Christmas break. Had a fantastic, quiet christmas, just me, Mrs. 17 Seconds, and our two cats. I have receieved new albums (including the new Sigur Ros and Kaiser Chiefs and very first Stones LP, all on vinyl, like obviously ), some Fall comps from the in-laws and lots of Alfred Hitchcock on DVD. (One day I am going to do a post related to Alfred Hitchcock on this blog). The only sadness (other than parents and bother and sister-in-law being in other countries) was the loss over Christmas of two [...]

...phew. Christmas is nearly here, the school term is over...and I'm feeling absolutely exhusted and still quite some way off goodwill to all men, especially if they have anything to do with the RIAA or the DMCA. But, it has been a good year for me overall, sustained by getting a better job, the continued love and support of Mrs. 17 Seconds and family, friends and readers. 17 Seconds Records Ltd. is go, make friends at our myspace page if you haven't already . 17SEC1 is already available as a download, Aberfeldy's [...]

• Earth -'Omens And Portents I: The Driver... » 12Earth_TheDriver.mp3

I know it's kinda accepted wisdom that the Stones 'jumped the shark' at some point in the seventies, but I still think there were moments of genius. This is very good, very funky and extremely political. The title track of their 1983 album Undercover. Much better than 'She was Hot.' U2 were taking notes... Rolling Stones -'Undercover Of The Night.' There's a link to another Stones song here 'She's So Cold.' (what is the point of disabling the embedding if you can still see it?!?!) This is from [...]

Lord knows this has been a very difficult list to compile, but thank you everyone for the love and support you have shown this week. 1. Cave Singers Invitation Songs 2. Santogold Santogold 3. Benga Diary Of An Afro Warrior 4. Jaguar Love Take Me To The Sea 5. Meursault Pissing On Bonfires/Kissing With Tongues 6. The Bug London Zoo 7. The Cure [...]

*deep breath* It's been a hellish few days. But I've been very touched by the support I've received from readers, friends, fellow bloggers and family. Most particularly my long-suffering wife. I'm still trying to work out the future. But I wanted to say thanks (and watch this space). In the words of Vigo from Ghostbusters 2 (above): 'Death is but a door, time is but a window. I'll be back.' Crass -'Do They Owe Us A Living?' mp3 [...]

Ok folks, this is very sad, but after two and a half years I have decided to stop doing 17 Seconds. I have received yet another takedown notice. Yet again, I have had my Festive Fifty post removed. For the record the Festive Fifty was: 1. The Wedding Present -'The Trouble With Men.' 2. MGMT -'Time To Pretend.' 3. The Bug -'Angry (featuring Tipper Irie).' 4. Aberfeldy -'Come on, Claire.' 5. Santogold -'My Superman.' 6. M.I.A. -'Paper Planes.' 7. Mogwai -'The Sun Smells Too Loud.' 8. The Kills -'Cheap And Cheerful.' 9. Dom DeLuca [...]

OK, the likelihood of stopping Alexandra Burke being Christmas no.1 is alas, something I do not have the power to do, unfortunately, but it looks like Jeff Buckley could have a massive smash, with a song that's not even physically released. See the promo video here . And yes, it's a Leonard Cohen song. There is, apparently, a facebook group of people committed to buying the song as performed by Jeff Buckley, so let's see what people can achieve. BTW anyone know what happened to Brigyn and their fantastic version in Welsh? [...]

I have covered more reggae and Hip-Hop on 17 Seconds as the years have gone by, I promise to try and do much better on this front in years to come. So, Christmas tracks from two pioneers today, Run DMC and Kurtis Blow. Run DMC -'Christmas In Hollis.' mp3 Kurtis Blow -'Christmas Rappin.' mp3 And please, if you like these tracks support the artists involved!

This post does contain tracks I have posted before, but I thought might be worth hearing again. These tracks were freebies, in 2006 and 2007 respectively, so I hope their record dompanies are not going to suddenly become uncooperative. Sweden's The Knife are a brother and sister act who do a rather fantastic act in electronica; this is no exception. The Knife -'Christmas Reindeer.' mp3 Meanwhile, the Manic Street Preachers [...]

As some of you will know, the evil technophibic morons at the DMCA ripped this post down. As an infringement of my intellectual property, they will burn for this. Anyway, let's try again , shall we? 1. The Wedding Present -'The Trouble With Men.' 2. MGMT -'Time To Pretend.' 3. The Bug -'Angry (featuring Tipper Irie).' 4. Aberfeldy -'Come on, Claire.' 5. Santogold -'My Superman.' 6. M.I.A. -'Paper Planes.' 7. Mogwai -'The Sun Smells Too Loud.' * 8. The Kills -'Cheap And Cheerful.' 9. Dom DeLuca -'Birds Of Worry.' * 10. [...]

Gig Review: The Wedding Present/Sally Crewe and the Sudden Moves Edinburgh Liquid Rooms, December 12, 2008 Last year I was quite impressed when arriving at the Voodoo Rooms in Edinburgh for my gig of the year, Aberfeldy, to find that the man on the door was none other than Paul Vickers of Dawn Of The Replicants. This year, on arriving at the Liquid Rooms, the person selling the tees, CDs and bags is none other than Weddoes frontman David Gedge! He's a lovely chap, and I'll forgive him for the stuff the Weddoes didn't play tonight. [...]