Category Archives: Christmas

Christmas Posts 2012 #11

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abagail-grey

Abagail Grey is the name Inverness singer-songwriter Claire Campbell performs under.

Having released the Dark Stone EP earlier this year in the summer, she has just released the really rather lovely five track EP Snowflake Remember, which is really rather lovely…actually, scratch that, it’s absolutely beautiful.

As the press release explains here we find her ‘aligning double-edged moods, metaphors and images of cold and cosiness, brightness and dark, decline and renewal.’ It’s a bit obvious to compare her to Isobel Campbell’s solo work (or the work she did under the name The GEntle Waves) or Camera Obscura, but let’s just say, if you enjoy that, then you’ll love this.

There’s five tracks here -and every one of them is fantastic. Truly an EP rather than just a track bolstered by tracks you could have lived without.

****1/2

Stream it at her soundcloud or on bandcamp below:

BONUS:

This was her Christmas release last year:

…and no, there’s nothing wrong, I’ve just got something in my eye, ‘scuse me a second…

Christmas Posts 2012 #10

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matt-norris-and-the-moon

The most recent release on the 17 Seconds Records label which grew out of this blog was Matt Norris and the Moon’s This Kingdom EP (stream here ). This was a rather lovely version of ‘I Saw Three Ships’ which they recorded last year, and made available to download from their soundcloud. I posted this last year -but if you haven’t heard it before (or even if you have) check it out!

Christmas Posts 2012 #9

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wounded-knee

Argh.

Had today off work with the intention of spending it with Mrs. and son 17 Seconds to go shopping and exploring town at this time of year.

What I did NOT have in mind was feeling like death, and feeling lethargic. Bugger.

Ah well.

Today’s post comes from Wounded Knee, a free track that he gave away a few years ago entitled ‘Cold Enough For Snow.’ In his own words, he is a singer, experimental vocalist and occasional children’s entertainer based in Edinburgh who has been active since 2004. In the small world that is the Edinburgh music scene, I used to work with him in Fopp, alongside members of eagleowl, Woodpigeon, X-Vectors, Usurper and the Prats.

Wounded Knee -‘Cold Enough For Snow.’ mp3

You can hear more of Drew Wright’s work here. My favourite album his remains Shimmering New Vistas. His website is here and I am involved in putting on a gig featuring him and others in 2013. Watch this space…

Christmas Posts 2012 #8

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cbgb2

New York’s legendary CBGB’s. I visited once, in 2004, not to attend a gig, but just to pay homage. It was a bit of a dive, in the best possible way, but it oozed rock’n’roll even more than Glasgow’s Barrowlands. It’s pointless fantasising, but there’s a part of me that would have loved to have lived in 1970s New York. Granted, it would doubtless have been a pretty scary place at times, but the thought of the arts scene there -and most importantly, to me -PUNK -would have been worth experiencing.

Anyway, today’s posting involves two acts who were part of the 1970s New York Ounk scene that centered around the legendary CBGBs – Blondie and Patti Smith – both doing their very own, different takes on ‘We Free Kings.’ And yes, it’s a song that’s associated with Epiphany, January 6, but let’s not split hairs and enjoy some music. These versions date from the last decade, and whilst Blondie’s is more of a knees-up, Smith’s is a poetic reading.

Enjoy.

Blondie -‘We Free Kings.’ mp3

Patti Smith -‘We Free Kings.’ mp3

Christmas Posts 2012 #7

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for-folks-sake

It’s not just about re-posting old stuff on here at Christmas.

Gibson Bull and Carmen have recorded a version of ‘The Holly and the Ivy’ in an indie/Americana style. It’s part of For Folk’s Sake It’s Christmas 2012, which is the annual charity Christmas album that also features Admiral Fallow, The Willows, Ellen and the Escapades, Tom Williams and the Boat and other great up and coming UK folk acts.

There is also a rather ace video to go along with it:

You can stream the album below, may I recommend that you check out The Willows’ take on ‘We Free Kings.’ Utterly fantastic.

Proceeds when you buy the album (only £7!) go to the Evelina Children’s Hospital. Find out more

Christmas Posts 2012 #6

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poly-styrene-2010

Today’s Christmas offering was a fine and free track released by Poly Styrene, once of X-Ray Spex, a couple of years ago. An almost anti-seasonal track, if such a thing is possible. I wasn’t that into her final album Generation Indigo, sadly, but she was a legend and is sadly missed.

And if you think this track is bleak, bear in mind that, after all, some Christmas music is patently dark and antagonistic. That goes for the Hives and Cyndi Lauper’s ‘A Christmas Duel’. You also get the very sad carol ‘The Coventry Carol’ which remembers all the children slaughtered by King Herod. And if it’s all about good cheer, why do people love ghost stories around this time of year so much. Eh? Eh??

Enjoy!

Christmas Posts 2012 #4

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withered-hand-3

It was pretty damn great watching Withered Hand headlining the Queen’s Hall during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Not least because I saw him play on a bill with Jesus H. Foxx and Broken Records headlining at Edinburgh’s Cabaret Voltaire in late 2009.

I was blown away by Dan Willson’s performance that night – and spent the next age trying to get hold of his album. Eventually Ed at SL Records obliged -and it’s always pained me that I heard it after I had done my best albums for the year list.

Oh well…this was a free track that Dan gave away at the end of 2009. Not a year I would want to live through again, but this is an excellent song, which has another version on his latest EP Inbetweens (order here

Withered Hand -‘It’s A Wonderful Lie.’ mp3

If you haven’t bought Dan’s stuff before now, you should start by trying your local independent record shop. You could also buy direct from Dan here

Read my Withered Hand interview from early 2010 here

Christmas Posts 2012 #2

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idlewild

I can honestly claim to have supported Idlewild from their first release, the 7″ ‘Queen Of The Troubled Teens.’ I picked it up out of curiosity in the record shop in Canterbury, Richard’s Records, where I spent much of my time (not to mention money) as a student when I was there. It was a sound so raucous that the NME famously declared it ‘the sound of a flight of stairs falling down a flight of stairs.’ Fast forward five years, the band were on their third album, signed to EMI (or a subsidiary thereof), having massive hits, making videos with Wim Wenders. And me? Well, I was working in a bookshop in Edinburgh, with none other than lead singer Roddy Woomble’s sister, as featured (uncredited) on the cover of that debut single.

This cover of Cliff Richard’s ‘Mistletoe and Wine’ is noisy by comparison to their later efforts and no doubt offensive to some. To me, it sounds bloody awesome!

Idlewild -‘Mistletoe and Wine.’ mp3

Christmas Posts 2012 #1

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blur_bxxxand

Yup, it’s the return of the annual 17 Seconds Christmas posts!

First up, a song that Blur recorded for a free single 20 years ago. It’s a traditional English carol called the ‘Wassailing Song.’ I posted this last year -and it’s great to look back and see that Blur did come back this year with a new single ‘Under The Westway.’ If it is their last release, it is a mighty fine way to bow out, with dignity and a mighty fine tune. I only ever saw Blur once -around the time of Think Tank but it was a great night. Even if Graham Coxon had left the band by that point…

Blur -‘Wassailing Song.’ mp3

For more info on Wassailing, go here