Monday, April 30, 2007

Gig review: The Pastels/Electrelane/The Royal We

Gig Review: The Pastels/Electrelane/The Royal We

The Bongo Club, Edinburgh, April 29, 2007

And so...Triptych, the annual Scottish five day event that brings great music from around the world and celebrates the homegrown variety in Scotland's principal cities draws to a close. A night of three bands at the small but delightful Bongo Club (which has some damn fine programming).

First up, the Royal We, who look almost as young as some of the kids I teach. They seem a little awkward, but they short but sweet set wins me over. their singer is like Siouxsie Sioux's delightfully demenetd niece, and the band look like the archetypal scots indie twee kids (that's meant as a compliment. Hey, we're at the Pastels' gig). 'Three is a crowd' sounds great, Is This Music? have covered them, so let's hope they are getting more ocverage very soon.

Electrelane have just put out their rather fab no Shouts, No Calls (go, buy it. Now) album - hopefully will post a review here in the next day or so. They are a revelation live. I have never seen them live before but I would drive a long way to see them. They remind me of a more Germanic Stereolab, though the sheer attitude is unbelievable. Not in a riot grrl sense, but the utter subversion of what music sometimes expects of women. I swear I sore the ghost of nico look down from her great opium den in the sky and smile approvingly. I say to Mr. Toad from Song, By Toad that I think if Nico were alive and well in 2007 and she'd be seeking out Electrelane as her backing band. He points out, not unreasonably, that they are doing pretty well without her. And the soon to be Mrs. 17 Seconds is suitably impressed too.

Before Camera Obscura, before Sons and Daughters, Belle and Sebastian - heck, even before my beloved Delgados, there was The Pastels. Legends on the scottish indie scene - in fact, indie legnds full stop, the expectation tonight is high. Unfortunately, much as I want to be blown away by this legendary band, who I love on record, they have horrendous sound problems. They are joined by Japanese band The Tennis Coats, whose contributions add a nice touch that reminds me a bit of Durutti Column, but Stephen Pastel seems like a rabbit caught in the headlights. It's a measure of how highly The Pastels are regarded that the crowd patiently waits, but his discomfort is obvious. I hoep there's another time, because I want, so badly, to
love them live as much as I do when I hear their music on their stereo. Another time? Please??

For another, perhaps more positive review of this gig, visit Song, By Toad. See if you can spot the reference to the soon to be Mrs. 17 Seconds...and hear some great stuff by the bands from the last two nights' worth of gigs.

Saturday, April 28, 2007

Gig review: Micah P.Hinson/Califone/Grant Campbell




Gig review: Micah P.Hinson/Califone/Grant Campbell

Edinburgh Cabaret Voltaire, April 28, 2007

Never judge a book by it's cover. Or assume that if someone looks like a quietish sort of person when they amble onstage, that that is how they will sound. Mical Paul Hinson is one of many human beings who exist to confound our expectations, and this world is all the more rewarding for people like him in it.

First of all, an apology to Grant Campbell, whose set the soon to be Mrs. 17 Seconds and I missed much of because we were still eating over the road. Another person who can defy expectations, he speaks with a deep scottish accent, yet sings like a man from the American heartlands...and pulls it off. Also, and having watched many people struggle to do this as support acts, even though it's just him and his acoustic guitar, he holds the audience. I'd not heard a note of his music before tonight, but I would like to.

Califone fans may be better advised to check Song, By Toad if they want a positive review of this band. This American two-piece do an interesting line in Americana drone-type music, or at least for the first couple of songs. However, it starts to pale into one. This is not helped by the crowd that start talking louder and louder (note to such people: Without wishing to sound precious, please don't talk through gigs. They may not be religious services but they are not extended sitting rooms for the chattering classes. Oh, and while I'm on the subject, Glaswegians who throw beer: if I catch you, I won't be responsible for my actions...). I can see the soon to be Mrs. 17 Seconds' eyes start to glaze over, and she is not alone.

Micah P. Hinson comes on stage supported by a rhythm section, a fellow Texan on bass and banjo and a Mancunian drummer who introduces as Nipples (possibly not his real name). Where Hinson defies expectations is that for a man younger than I, his voice his not only a deep Texan drawl, but also sounds like a man who is twice his age and lived many lifetimes. He later alludes to music being the only thing he can do well.

But boy, does he do it well. Hinson's songs may sometimes be just a handful of chords, but whilst he plays with the passion of, say early Ramones and the artistic intensity of Sonic Youth, the sound produced is Americana at it's most beautiful. There isn't the room to dance in a packed Cab Volt, but when the banjo kicks in, I want to throw caution to the wind and have a knees-up, dancing the hoe-down. 'Diggin' a grave' is a highlight for me. He also throws in a cover of Richard Hawley's 'Hotel Room'. He doesn't introduce it, but there are shouts of recognition. He later gets lost during a cover of Leonard Cohen's Suzanne - about two lines in, but the room is overflowing with goodwill for him, and it doesn't matter.

I'm not an authority on Micah P. Hinson, and the soon to be Mrs. 17 Seconds had never heard him before, but the high we leave on convinces us we want to hear more. Mr. Toad was also raving about the show. Hinsopn may worry about the mistakes he has made, but tonight we will forgive him anything, and it would seem he has found his true calling.

Thursday, April 26, 2007

It feels like summer




...even in Scotland. The constant discussion of elections is in the air, as well as the weather being lovely.

So here are three tracks: one that feels summery, one that feels political, and one that it both.

Gorky's Zygotic Mynci-'Spanish Dance Troupe.' mp

The Soft Boys -'I Want To Destroy You.' mp3

The Gossip -'Standing In the Way Of Control.' mp3

As always, support the artists involved - and enjoy the sunshine.

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

My Electric Love Affair



I have been meaning to post on this Edinburgh band for some time...

Whilst I have to confess to never have seen them, they have done a couple of singles and hear great things about the live gigs.

My Electric Love Affair -'Blow Me Down 2.' mp3

My Electric Love Affair -'Blow Me Down live.' mp3

My Electric Love Affair -'Rodney Relax.' mp3

If you like this, there is another track over at their mySpace page

Enjoy. And let me know what you think!

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Tonight I'm In The Mood For...



...Folk.

Or at least, Folk Rock type stuff.

Maybe not the stuff I normally post here at 17 Seconds, but as a blogger rather than an editor who has to answer to people...why not?

I'm by no means an authority on this genre (arguably, I'm not an authority on any genre) but this seems to fit with what I want to listen to tonight).

Fairport Convention -'A Sailor's Life.' mp3

Fairport Convention -'I'll Keep It With Mine.' mp3

Of course, playing Fairport Convention led me to someone I love, even though I'm far from an authority on his very wide body of work: Richard Thompson. As well as his solo work, and being guitarist for Fairport Convention in the sixties, Thompson also made some damn fine records with his then wife, Linda.

Richard and Linda Thompson -'Shoot Out The Lights.' mp3

Richard and Linda Thompson -'I'll keep It With Mine (live).' mp3

And because it kinda fits with what I want to hear tonight, it may be obvious, but why not?

Bob Dylan -'Like A Rolling Stone.' mp3


Buy Fairport Convention at Amazon
Buy Richard and Linda Thompson at Amazon
Buy Bob Dylan at Amazon

Monday, April 23, 2007

Album Review: The Arctic Monkeys



Arctic Monkeys: 'Favourite Worst Nightmare'

So, I finished school, and went to the record shop to get the new Arctic Monkeys album (on Vinyl. Obviously). Even if I am thirty...

To be honest, I was not enamoured of Arctic Monkeys when they first came along. OK, it was cool how they had come of MySpace and were on Domino etc.. but 'I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor' sounded to these ears like a Libertines rip-off. the first time I heard 'When The Sun Goes Down' I kept waiting for him to go into 'When I'm Cleaning Windows.'

However, I am prepared to admit I was wrong. One day the aforementioned Sun's lyrics filtered through, and I got what it was about. I did eventually buy the debut, and I have been looking forward to this sophomore album.

The web must be drowning in blogs and magazines and other people analysing it to shreds so I won't here. But I find it more immediate on first listen than the debut. I like the way opener 'Brianstorm' doesn't have a chorus but a slogan 'See You Later, Innovator!' The Monkeys are just as keen and sharp observers as, say, the Streets or The Specials of the world they are in. There are numerous potential singles on here - 'Flourescent adolescent' and 'Only Ones Who Know,' for example. But it also clocks in at under 45 minutes, which means that by the end of closer '505' the album hasn't overstayed it's welcome.

Don't believe the hype? I didn't, but I'm still eating my words.

8/10

From Favourite Worst Nightmare:

Arctic Monkeys -'Brianstorm.' mp3

That great 'inbetween debut and sophomore albums single (see also Blur, Oasis, Suede, oh sorry, showing my age again)

Arctic Monkeys -'Leave Before The Lights Come On.' mp3

And the song that changed my mind:

Arctic Monkeys -'When The Sun Goes Down.' mp3

Buy Favourite Worst Nightmare

Buy Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not

Buy Leave Before The Lights Come On

As ever, if you like the songs, follow the links and support the artists. These links will be up for one week only. Enjoy!

Links removed April 30.

Sunday, April 22, 2007

Some covers for Sunday


Alright, so not particularly Sunday related, but a few more covers that I thought I would share with you:

I know I posted an Arcade Fire track yesterday, but I do like this cover of the Talking Heads song from 1983.

Arcade Fire 'Naive Melody (This Must Be The Place)(Talking Heads cover).' mp3

Having posted a Jose Gonzalez song yesterday, I was reminded by Elizabeth over at The Roaring Machine about this track. And...Why not?

Jose Gonzalez -'Love Will Tear Us Apart (Joy Division cover).' mp3

Driving back from the Glasgow gig last night with the soon to be Mrs. 17 Seconds, and two friends, (see below) one of them, Gordon, said that as an old raver he couldn't get into The Klaxons. I'm really hoping this will change his mind.

The Klaxons -'Not Over Yet (Grace cover).' mp3

I like the Voxtrot bits I have heard so far, but I haven't heard a huge amount. I like this New Order cover...

Voxtrot -'Love Vigilantes (New Order cover).' mp3

I do love Bond films. Octopussy has not dated particularly well, but I do think the title song is underrated (and I would much rather Rita Coolidge singing this, than say Sheena Easton doing 'For Your Eyes Only' or Gladys Knight's Licence To Kill). Here Jarvis and co. work their usual magic.

Pulp -'All Time High (Rita Coolidge cover).' mp3

Considering how much of an influence they have been on me, I don't know why I haven't posted more Siousxie and the Banshees here. But whatever...here one Britain's first lady of alternative music and her merry men take on the Beatles.

Siouxsie and the Banshees -'Helter Skelter (Beatles cover).' mp3

Hope you're all having a nice weekend, wherever you may be.If you like these tracks, they will, as ever, only be up for one week only. Remember to support the artists, whether by going to Amazon or iTunes or wherever.

Be good xx

Links removed April 30.

Gig review: James/The Twang

Gig review: James/ The Twang, Glasgow Academy, April 21 2007

OK, I should probably start by being honest and admit that I managed to get slightly lost in Glasgow's one-way system driving over, so we only caught the last three songs of The Twang's set. Maybe it's being the other side of thirty now, but I have reached the stage where just because a band have made it onto the cover of the NME does not mean I assume any longer that they must be any good. However, the three songs I heard I liked. They seem to know how to work a crowd, who were into proceedings, and that's no mean feat for a crowd, many of whom could have been almost twice The Twnag's age. The soon to be Mrs. 17 seconds described them as being like a slowed down acid house, though they are definitely a rock band.

When James come on, and kick straight into Come Home, it isn't that it's like they've never been away, but we're reminded why we fell for them all those years ago. All the memories come back: the James' t-shirts with flowers on them (note to younger readers; there was a time when bands like James and their contemporaries were known as T-shirt bands because they seemed to sell more T-shirts than records). Tim Booth has shaved his head but before I managed to have my view shut out by folk way taller than I, he has lost none of his charisma.

The band have a new greatest hits coming out shortly, but the sheer magic of the back catalogue was not forgotten last night in Glasgow. 'Sit Down' may have seemed almost like an albatross around their necks at one point - just as Radiohead found with 'Creep' a couple of years but they have so many other amazing songs. They never reached the commercial heights of U2 - though I seem to recall them playing a headline gig at Alton Towers amusement Park in England, circa the Seven album in 1992 - but their anthems certainly matched them. Some songs get gentle reworking, like the gentle lullaby version of 'She's A Star' which is stripped of it's swagger but not it's aching beautiful sadness. Even the non-single tracks that get aired, like Gold Mother can bring the mostly over thirties shuffling around the baking hot Academy.

Comeback tours can feel like shameless exercises in nostalgia to pay half a dozen people's mortgages. This was not one of those nights. The passion remains, the joy returns and the warmth lingers. And Tim Booth can still do the falsetto on 'Laid.' Come and sing your heart out. I just hope you're not overcome by the venue's heat like I was...

Saturday, April 21, 2007

...And on the sixth day


There were six covers.

Hope you enjoy these folks...

This is from a gig in London in January this year, where the Arcade Fire (above)cover the Clash classic from London Calling.

Arcade Fire -'Guns Of Brixton (Clash cover)'. mp3

Years ago, working in a record shop I was virtually sent to Coventry for a day for daring to ask 'What's wrong with Bruce Springsteen?' I stand by that comment, the man is a hero to many, and just as an articulate observer of American life as many rappers or Bob Dylan. And Damon Gough knows it too.

Badly Drawn Boy -'Thunder Road (Bruce Springsteen cover).' mp3

At fifteen I thought Prince was a genius, but I started to get the feeling throughout the nineties that his work was not as good as it had been. Then I came to Scotland, and amongst the hundreds of albums I have bought in second hand records shops here since I arrived are much of his output from 1980-1988. I've also realsied that Country music can be cool too. Here the two collide beautifully.

The Be-good Tanyas -'When Doves Cry (Prince and the Revolution cover).' mp3

Having got into Sonic Youth at fourteen through Goo, I remember thinking that 'Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star' was a bit of a disappointment when I heard it, though the first single 'Bull In The Heather' was a gem. Here the Go! Team offer their take on it.

The Go! Team -'Bull In The Heather (Sonic Youth cover).' mp3

OK, so this track was a hit, and it did through an advertisement, but what the hell, it's beautiful, and a genuinely different version of the original by the Knife.

Jose Gonzalez -'Heartbeats (The Knife cover).' mp3

Speaking of songs that start out electronica like, and end up acoustic, what better way to finish this than with Iron and Wine's take on a Postal Service song.

Iron and Wine -'Such Great Heights (Postal Service cover).' mp3

Links removed April 28.

Friday, April 20, 2007

Hooray!


I have survived my first week back at work -and it's now the weekend.

A little braindead - but not so braindead as to want to be without music. Hope you like these.

Nico -'These Days.' mp3 Buy it here

Cat Power -'He War.' mp3 Buy it here

Jolie Holland -'Old Fashion Morphine.' mp3 Buy it here

Unless you haven't been here before now, you'll know the drill by now: the tracks will be up for a week. If you like them, please support the artists involved.

Links removed April 28.

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Home and dry


...ah. the week is oh so nearly in sight, there's gigs to go to, and the first week back at work has actually been okay (so far. Touch wood).

Anyway, I decided that I would actually post four fairly upbeat and wonderful tracks.

Pet Shop Boys -'Home and Dry.' mp3

JC at The Vinyl Villain seemed a few weeks ago to feel that he had to justufy his love for the Pet Shop Boys. Absolutely not! Still wonderful, twenty years on.

The Rapture -'Get Myself Into It.' mp3

Is Pieces Of the People we love the fourth or third Rapture album, if we include The Mirror, Out of the Races...and Echoes? Oh well. Either way, this still makes me want to dance.

Amy Winehouse -'Rehab.' mp3

'Have you heard Amy Winehouse's new single?' asked my brother's flatmate six months ago. Personally I was aware of her, but thought her too 'coffee-table.' Then I heard this, and a few months later her album ended up being my second favourite album of the year (2006). You never can tell...

Ronettes -'Be my Baby.' mp3

The sheer wealth of emotions this song can make you feel is just unbelievable.

As always, if you like the tracks, buy them on Amazon, iTunes or your local record shop. These tracks will be posted for a week only. Enjoy!

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

an update

The links below SHOULD now work.

Enjoy...

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

My (latest) new favourite band


Love Of Diagrams hail from Melbourne, Australia (which is pretty cool) and are signed to Matador, which usually bodes pretty well. Maybe they have been getting plenty of coverage that I have missed, but having read about them at Insound and heard a couple of mp3s at the matador site, I decided it was time that anyone else out there who hadn't heard them might like to, too.

What do they sound like? For recent music, I hear the mathematical influence suggested by their name shared by Forward, Russia, the gorgeous madness of Love Is all, with a dashing of the Long Blondes. I know post-punk is applied to so much these days, but the hints of the Au Pairs and Kleenex/liliput that I hear here suggest the label is appropriate.

Love of Diagrams -'No Way Out.' mp3

Love Of Diagrams -'Pace Or the Patience.' mp3

I have literally just heard them this evening - but the album is available from iTunes, though as always, check your local independent shop or Amazon.

Support the band, and let me know what you think...

Monday, April 16, 2007

Monday Monday

Hi, just a brief, brief post.

I survived my first day back at school, and I'm okay...but very tired.

Here are two tracks I love, which I know I have posted in the past, but they sense of sadness is something I connect with, right now, I guess.

Sweet Dreams.

Low -'Monkey.' mp3

from the album The Great Destroyer

Schneider TM -'The Light 3000.' mp3

Can be found on Rough Trade Shops electronic 01 compilation

Sunday, April 15, 2007

Sunday Night


Well, after several weeks of being off ill, and then the official school holidays i am back to school tomorrow. nervous? You betcha, but I'm trying not to think about it too much.

This isn't going to be a long post, but I hope you'll like what I have posted.

Aztec Camera -'Somewhere In My Heart.' mp3

OK so 'Oblivious' and the stuff from the first album are classics, but this is too. This was one of the first Aztec Camera tracks I ever heard, aged 11, and as such it holds a special place in my record collection, and my, er, heart. Available on Love and their Best of.

Idlewild -'No Emotion.' mp3

Am I the only person who has bought the new album? It's really very good. Get your acts together people. It's on the new album, Make Another World.

Mother and the addicts -'What Were The Reasons.' mp3

A new track from the forthcoming Mother and the Addicts album that they have put out on the net (buy older stuff here).

Mull Historical Society -'Watching Xanadu.' mp3

Aw. Colin and co. bring a smile to my face every time. Off their debut, Loss.

Sister Vanilla -'K to be Lost.' mp3

The brothers Reid (of the now reformed Jesus and Mary Chain) and little sister Linda unleash Little Pop Rock. World cheers.

Sonic Youth -'Dirty Boots.' mp3

I heard this just after Christmas 1990 at a friend's house. I had to have the album Goo. That same night I also heard Jane's Addiction's Ritual De Lo Habitual. These things can change your life at fourteen (actually I still think they can at thirty; then again, I'd rather browse the vinyl racks in a record store than go to IKEA, so what do I know?)

Hope you like them. As always, if you like the music you hear, support the artists. These mp3s will be up for a week only.

Have a good week

xx

Saturday, April 14, 2007

If I Had a Club Night


a da da da da da-da-da-da-da-da- da!

Oh sorry, got a bit lost there. It's been a busy few days, what with being signed back on by the Doctor (so back to school for me in a couple of days), trying to tidy the flat (a Painting a very big bridge kind of job) and doing more wedding preparation with the soon to be Mrs. 17 seconds.

I guess we're a bit tired rather than too old to go clubbing, but I got to thinking about the days when I DJed (and who knows, I may do again *wishful thinking*) so i was thinking about tracks I might like to play. And - this is for you Rick, if you're reading - some of these tracks you can dance to!!

Obviously, I would play some tracks that aren't a few years old, as well as some that are decades older, but here are a few, partioularly from the days when the re-emergence of 'post-punk' type stuff was floating my boat, blogging was in its infancy and The Arcade Fire and the Shins were pretty much only known to those who read the blogs. How times change...but some of these tracks are very much likely to make it into my list of best tracks of the noughties.

The Faint -'Agenda Suicide.' mp3

The Faint -'Worked Up So Sexual.' mp3

Fitness -'Chauffeur.' mp3

Juan Maclean -'By the Time I Get To Venus.' mp3

Radio 4 -'Dance To The Underground.' mp3

The Rapture -'House Of Jealous Lovers.' mp3

Links removed April 21.

As always, if you like the tracks, support the artists by buying the bands' music, whether at iTunes, Amazon or your local independent store.

Oh, and if you haven't checked it out yet, the jock'n'roll poll is up and running!

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Keep Scotland Clean


Clean George IV are a scottish band that, I must be honest, I don't know a huge amount about.

However, they have so far issued one very good single, entitled 'First Blast Of The Trumpet Against The Monstrous Regiment Of Women.' This is not enocuraging wind instrument related misogyny, but is the title of John Knox's infamous pamphlet about women. As to the b-side, I don't know when the great Highland Crack epidemic was, though Scotland has had its problems with drugs like most countries in the majority and minority worlds.

This is their first single, available on 7" from HMV, and other stores (mine came from Fopp) and when you buy it, you also get to download the tracks for free (if only more bands did this, for those of us who like to have a physical product and like that to be vinyl. As well as owning iPods and not being able to afford USB turntables.)

Clean George IV -'First Blast Of The Trumpet Against The Monstrous Regiment of Woman.' mp3

Clean George IV -'The Great Highland Crack Epidemic.' mp3

Remember, if you like it go and buy it, and go and make friends with them at their mySpace page

And here's a few more mp3s of Scottish bands that I thought I would post. Enjoy!

The Delgados -'No Danger (Kids Choir Edit).' mp3

Teenage Fanclub -'Everything Flows.' mp3

The View -'Wasted Little DJs.' mp3

The View -'Superstar Tradesman.' mp3

NB. These will be up for a week only. If you like them, BUY THEM.

Links removed April 18.

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Three more for you! (part two)

Three more mp3s to try and encourage you to think about voting in the jock'n'roll poll:

Mother And The Addicts -'Take The Lovers Home Tonight.' mp3

Dogs Die In Hot Cars -'I Love You 'Cause I Have To.' mp3

Franz Ferdinand -'Darts Of Pleasure.' mp3

As always, if you like what you hear, support the bands! Buy their music, see the gigs etc..

Monday, April 09, 2007

Six of One and a Dozen Of The Other


Well, the Jock'N'Roll albums poll may not have posted any results...yet - but I figured that you can never have too many reminders.

So here are six great Scottish bands, with two mp3s apiece. Enjoy!

Aereogramme - 'Zionist Timing.' mp3

Aereogramme -'Wood.' mp3

Arab Strap - 'Cherubs.' mp3

Arab Strap - 'The Love Detective.' mp3

Ballboy -'Sex Is Boring (John Peel Session 21/3/00).' mp3

Ballboy - 'Sex Is Boring (John Peel Session 21/3/00).' mp3


Delgados -'American Trilogy.' mp3

Delgados -'Sink Or Swim.' mp3

Sons and Daughters - 'Johnny Cash.' mp3

Sons and Daughters - 'Dance me In.' mp3

Teenage Fanclub - 'What You Do To me.' mp3

Teenage Fanclub - 'It's All In My Mind.' mp3

As always, if you like what you hear, go and support the bands by checking out their MySpace sites and becoming their friends, buying the music from iTunes or Amazon or your local independent shop, seeing them in concert, and of course, voting for scottish acts at Jock'n'Roll

Hope you had a good Easter, Ed

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

And now...the best Scottish Albums Poll

Regular readers to this blog (and I know there are a few) will know that I have posted a few times on the Jock'n'Roll poll to find the top 100 singles by Scottish artists. The results are now posted for all to see and the top ten came out like this:

1. The Associates - Party Fears Two
2. The Skids - Into The Valley
3. Aztec Camera - Oblivious
4. Big Country - In A Big Country
5. Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out
6. The Blue Nile - Tinseltown In The Rain
7. Trashcan Sinatras - Obscurity Knocks
8. Cocteau Twins - Pearly Dewdrops Drops
9. Orange Juice - Rip It Up
10. Danny Wilson - Mary's Prayer

To see the full top 100 click here.

And now they have announced the next poll - to find the top Scottish album, and the worst. No finish date as yet, but it's got me thinking about mine. The rules and how to vote can be found here. They are allowing various artist compilations but not best of/greatest hits compilations, which means that The Beta Band's 3EPs is not eligible. But for my choices...

1. The Delgados 'The Great Eastern'
2. The Jesus And Mary Chain 'Psychocandy'
3. Orange Juice 'You Can't Hide Your Love Forever'
4. Sons and Daughters 'Love The Cup'
5. Belle and Sebastian ' If You're Feeling Sinister'
6. Franz Ferdinand 'Franz Ferdinand'
7. Aberfeldy 'Young Forever'
8. The Shop Assistants 'The Shop Assistants'
9. Camera Obscura 'Let's Get Out Of This Country'
10. Teenage Fanclub 'Bandwagonesque'

Of course, there's lots of other great albums that deserve inclusion from the likes of Idlewild, Arab Strap, Mogwai, Simple Minds (up to about 1985, and not beyond that!) Deacon Blue and many, many others. As for worst album...I haven't heard the Krankies' album, but maybe as a point of principle I will. Or Runrig - a friend once said that I didn't get Runrig because I'm not scottish. Actually, I think it's to do with being a music fan, but there you go.

What about YOU?

look for the above albums at Amazon or iTunes or ebay. Best of all, support your local Independent record shop.

Monday, April 02, 2007

Let's Have a Butchers...

Hi there...

as usual, have been running around the like the proverbial headless chicken. But the soon to be Mrs. 17 Seconds and I have now chosen our wedding rings, and i am continuing to get better. Hooray.

As always, there are folks out there who are much more frequent contributors to the world of blogging. matthew over at Song, By Toad has flattered me by posting an Aberfeldy song in my honour (click here), as well as his own review of the Camera Obscura gig from last week, with some great Camera Obscura tracks. Click here

Meanwhile, in my attempt to try and bring the attention of more excellent scottish muisc to the world at large, ladies and gentlemen, I give you Butcher Boy! A seven piece from Glasgow, they should appeal to people who like the likes of Belle and Sebastian, Camera Obscura and Aberfeldy (loath as I am to lump these bands together, but they are more immediate references than, say, Metallica or Public Enemy). They write fantastic songs - and I've been anxious to hear morre ever since I heard a track called Arbor Day last year, whihc features on the recent single 'Girls Make Me Sick.' (funny, when I heard the title I was expecting to hear something in the vein of 'Touch me I'm Sick' by Mudhoney. Needless to say, it's nothing like that).

Their MySpace is here and their website is here.

If you like what you hear, both their aforementioned single and the album are available on iTunes, and the album is available from amazon. Even better, you could support your local independent music store. i'd love to know what you think though...