17 SECONDS

Lana Del Rey -’Born To Die’ (Polydor/Interscope)

..so here it comes. The most anticipated debut of 2012, from an act who was barely known six months ago. There probably is a school of thought that argues that given how well this record is likely to do, there’s no point in reviewing it. And some people will be sharpening the knives for the inevitable backlash. Hell, that was starting to happen before the unfortunate TV appearance a week or two ago.

Thing is, for whatever reason (probably to do with only having got 6Music at the start of the year, only reading NME periodically might well be factors), I first heard ‘Video Games’ on the radio. It didn’t blow me away at first - but now it has worked its’ charms on me.

Is it an innovative album that rewrites the rulebook? No - but nor is it an exercise in shameless nostalgia. Taken simply at face value, it is an album of hauntingly beautiful songs. And yes, she’s worked with collaborators on songs- so have most artists since the dawn of time.

The title track you probably know by now, as well as ‘Video Games’. There are other tracks worth seeking out here - after all in this day and age of downloads, there will be many who simply buy the songs they have heard rather than bothering with the entire album (a shame, but this may well be a generational thing). For my money, ‘National Anthem’ and ‘Blue Jeans’ are worth your time too.

Is she a persona as Lana Del Rey, rather than as Lizzie Grant? Perhaps. I’ve not watched the videos - and the more I hear other people talk about and dissect them, I feel like I want to just stick with the music. The album cover reminds me more of Desperate Housewives than anything else, and I don’t feel the urge to do more than just enjoy the sounds, rather than subject the record to huge amounts of over-analysis.

…and on the evidence here, that’s quite enough for me.

***1/2

Born To Die is released on Polydor/Interscope on January 30.

Some collaborations just look so god damn cool on paper (or in an email) that your interest is piqued before you have heard a note of the music, or a second of the video. And so it is here.

Mark Stewart - once of The Pop Group (creators of one of the most astonishing albums ever in Y) has collaborated with Primal Scream for a track ‘Autonomia.’ Written about the death of Carlo Giuliani, who was killed at the G8 demonstrations in Genoa in 2008, the song is the first single to be taken from Stewart’s forthcoming album The Politics Of Envy, due out at the end of March.

The video was directed by none other than Douglas Hart, who not only is a former member of the Jesus and Mary Chain - but he was the bass player in the band for their debut album Psychocandy when the drummer in the scream was none other than Bobby Gillespie of Primal Scream (just in case you have been under a rock for the past quarter-century).

Autonomia from Future Noise Music on Vimeo.

The Politics Of Envy has a guest list to make the most reserved post-punk fan salivate with excitement: Kenneth Anger, Richard Hell, Keith Levene (Clash/PiL), Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, Gina Birch (Raincoats), Tessa Pollitt (Slits), Douglas Hart,
Factory Floor, Youth, Daddy G (Massive Attack), and all of Primal Scream. Just a little bit cool then…

The tracklisting is as follows:
1. Vanity Kills
2. Autonomia
3. Gang War
4. Codex
5. Want
6. Gustav Says
7 .Baby Bourgeois
8. Method to the Madness
9. Apocalypse Hotel
10. Letter to Hermione (yes, the David Bowie song from the Space Oddity LP)
11. Stereotype

OK folks.

The HMV Picture House in Edinburgh is running a series of shows for the Next Big Thing Festival across the UK.

According to the press release: ‘The first show on Monday 6th February sees Field Music showcase their indie rock sound to Edinburgh coinciding with the release of their eagerly awaited fourth album, Plumb. Recently added to the bill is Glasgow electro pop favorites The Dykeenies. Having released their first album in 2005 and landing a spot of the NME Rock and Roll Riot Tour, the band have went from strength to strength. Joining them is fellow Glaswegians, Laki Mera, whose debut EP drew comparisons from artists such as Concteau Twins and Portishead and finally Edinburgh’s very own Bwani Junction. Frightened Rabbit headline a sold out second HMV Next Big Thing show and are supported by We Are Augustines and Fatherson on Friday 10th February.’

…and being lovely people they have given me a pair of tickets to the Field Music gig at the Edinburgh HMV Picture House on February 6.

To be in with a chance of winning, simply answer this question:

Q: What is the name of Field Music’s new album, to be released in February 2012?

Email answers to seventeensecondsblog@hotmail.co.uk by Friday February 3.

Field Music - A New Town by memphisindustries

Having bigged up Midas Fall a couple of years ago
and rated their debut album Eleven, Return and Revert, it’s great to report that Midas Fall are to release a new EP.

Due out on February 6, the EP As Our Blood Separates features five songs; three new songs ‘BPD’ ‘As Our Blood Separates’ and ‘Carnival Song’ as well as a cover of Nine Inch Nails’ Hurt (very different from the original and the justly loved cover by Johnny Cash) and closes with a new remix of their song ‘Moviescreens’ which gained a cult following after being used in the soundtrack to the TV Series Lip Service. Elizabeth Heaton’s vocals still send a shiver down my spine…

Back in 2010 I described them as haunting and heartbreaking -and I continue to stand by that.

Midas Fall ‘BPD’ by Monotreme Records

Listen to their cover of Nine Inch Nails’ Hurt here:

Stream the entire EP here

Utterly exhausted.

But…I thought I’d share this with you.

It’s the latest single from Irish band The Minutes, it’s called ‘Heartbreaker’ it’s barely more than 2 minutes long and I think it’s rather good. It’s taken from their album Marcata.

Turn it up loud.

I’ll see you soon…

One of the things about being a blogger is that you do get sent a hell of a lot of stuff, and sometimes there’s stuff that slips through the net.* Apparently American duo And The Giraffe did send me an mail a few months ago, which I didn’t remember getting. However, they got in touch again, and the video they have had made for the opening track on their EP Something For Everyone entitled ‘Underground Love’ is great. And apparently was shot for $0, in their own words ‘apart from the cost of paying for food and parking when we traveled to different locations. It was shot with the help of a very good friend of ours, Harrison Sanborn over the course of about 2 or 3 days.’

Now, even if the results had been just average, that’s pretty impressive. But to do it and actually produce a better video than some people make with a budget into six figures (that could be dollars, pounds or any currency, I suppose), is no mean feat. And the Giraffe is made up of two best friends, Nick Roberts and Josh Morris. ‘Together they make ambient dream-folk music and hope to continue doing so for as long as time allows.’

Check out the video - I think this is fantastic.

You can download their EP on a pay what you like basis - it’s a beautiful record. I’m typing this on a Sunday evening and it fits the mood perfectly.

*Just by way of example, I was clearing out some emails one time and discoveerd that one of the bands who I hadn’t dealt with an email from were The Last Battle. As 17 Seconds Records ended up putting out their debut single and debut album, this is a sign that no response is not a sign that you will never get featured on 17 Seconds.

Laura J. Martin -’The Hangman Tree’ (Static Caravan)

Liverpudlian Laura finally releases her debut album, several singles down the line, including the rather fine title track. In that time she has collaborated with members of Teenage Fanclub and Gorky’s for last year’s album as Jonny, amongst other projects, not to mention being proficient at both the mandolin and flute, both of which she plays live.

Her vocal style is somewhere around the Kate Bush, Joanna Newsom and Bjork end of the spectrum. It’s a good sort of kooky, without being melodramatic or histrionic. Amongst her interests are Japanese folklore, but there’s also a sense in which this is a very English record - in the way that the pastoral sounds of Fairport Convention or Virginia Astley make for a very English sound. The psychedelic folk feel might gtet it labelled acid folk or some such bizarre type label, if labelling or pigeon-holing is your thing.

The album is very much as one piece, and there are no doubt those who will find the spirit impenetrable. But there will be those who fall in live with it, who embrace and relish its charms and unusual approach, up against so much run of the mill folk and pop music today. Set to become a cult classic, I think.

****

The Hangman Tree is released on Static Caravan on January 23.

Laura J Martin - The Hangman Tree - Salamander (Featuring Euros Child) (static caravan) by pdis_inpartmaint

Laura J Martin - The Hangman Tree - The Hangman Tree (static caravan) by pdis_inpartmaint

OK, just what it says on the tin.

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

Bruce Springsteen -’Dream Baby Dream (Suicide cover).’ mp3

Lemonheads -’Different Drum (Michael Nesmith cover).’ mp3

Franz Ferdinand -’Womanizer (Britney Spears cover).’ mp3

Wedding Present -’Back For Good (Take That cover).’ mp3

Pop Will Eat Itself -’Love Missile F1-11 (Sigue Sigue Sputnik cover).’ mp3

Joy Zipper -’Wave Of Mutilation (Pixies cover).’ mp3

Killers -’Why Don’t You Find Out For Yourself? (Morrissey cover).’ mp3

…and two covers by the Ukrainians of Smiths songs. ut which ones…

Ukrainians-’Batyar.’ mp3

Ukrainians -’ Koroleva ne polerma.’ mp3

This popped into my inbox a couple of weeks ago, and to my shame, I told their patient PR person that I would cover them, and then didn’t!

So apologies to James, and apologies to Echotape. Because the track they sent me ‘Came Into My Blood’ is awesome. It takes their influences - who include the likes of M83, Mogwai, The Horrors and Echo & The Bunnymen (all faves around 17 Seconds Towers), and nods to Radiohead post OK Computer and the Errors, and run with it. A long, long way, in fact.

They have a four track EP on the way, for their debut album, they have worked with legendary producer Youth (he once of Killing Joke) who has worked with the likes of The Verve, The Orb and The Futureheads. They will support Killing Joke at London’s Roundhouse in March. I can’t find out who’s in the band - but just enjoy the music for what it is!

Came Into My Blood by Echotape

This track was posted on a US website:

Echotape -’Riding For A Fall.’ mp3

Back in 2008 I was bigging up Santogold (as she was then) around this blog, and she was runner-up album of the year in 2008 on this blog (and did pretty well in quite a few other people’s polls too).

Anyway, after being way, way too quiet for far too long, she has returned! Santi White is now Santigold and she’s back with a new album, called Master Of My Make Believe. The first track to do the rounds is a track called ‘Big Mouth.’ THe animated video is awesome - and there may just possibly be a none-too-subtle dig at Lady Gaga here….

This rules, as far as I am concerned. Great to have her back -and I can’t wait to hear the album.

Follow this link to download the track for free (and legally)