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!
OK folks, there will be another radio show from me this week at 7-8PM on Fresh Air
this coming Thursday.
This was last week’s show -here’s the tracklisting again, and if you wish to listen to it, it’s there below:
1. Dead Can Dance ‘Children Of The Sun.’
2. Kate Bush ‘Running Up That Hill.’
3. Twin Shadow ‘Five Seconds.’
4. We Are The Physics ‘Applied Robotics.’
5. Aggi Doom ‘Bring Me The Head.’
6. Shamen ‘Jesus Loves Amerika.’ ‘Gone but not forgotten.’
7. Soap&Skin ‘Wonder.’
8. Cancel The Astronauts ‘Making Dynamite.’ Album of the month Animal Love Match
9. Matt Norris and the Moon ‘Roots Below.’
10. The Delgados ‘Mr. Blue Sky.’ ‘Cover version of the week.’
11. Grimes ‘Genesis.’
12. Antony & the Johnsons ‘Cut The World.’
It was never intended that 17 Seconds Records would leave it so long between releases, but this came out today!
The This Kingdom EP by Matt Norris and the Moon can be streamed here and bought from the band’s bandcamp, or from other sites including iTunes, eMusic, and Amazon, as well as being able to stream at Spotify.
I’ve already posted this video before, but I do think it’s rather fine…
You can also download this track for free (not on the EP, btw):
There have been some nice bits of press, including The Scotsman, Rhythm & Booze, dauphin mag, [sic] Magazine, For Folks Sake, Folk Blues & Beyond, and Thank Folk For That.
Not only that but nice pieces have appeared at RingMaster Review and Frost Magazine.
There are quite a few live shows coming up, too, over the next month or so:
May 23, The Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh, Scotland
May 24, The Cafe Continental, Gourock, Scotland
May 25, Hootananny, Inverness, Scotland
May 26, Newmarket Bar, Thurso, Scotland
May 27, Y-not Bar & Grill, Thurso, Scotland
May 30, The Slaughtered Lamb, London, England
May 31, Knockengorroch World Ceilidh, Castle Douglas, Scotland
June 3, Dirty Weekender Festival, Kilmarnock, Scotland
June 6, Go North 2012, Inverness, Scotland
June 8, 20 Rocks, Falkirk, Scotland
June 9, The Classic Grand, Glasgow, Scotland
June 27, The Third Door, Edinburgh, Scotland
June 30, Kelburn Garden Party, Largs, Scotland
Next week will see the first release from 17 seconds Records in over a year, Matt Norris and the Moon’s This Kingdom EP. This will be 17SEC28.
It comprises four tracks: ‘Roots Below’ ‘Eyes Of A Storm’ ‘Shadow From The Sun’ and ‘The Shallows.’
It will be available on CD and from all decent download services. The band will be playing an instore at Edinburgh’s Avalanche Records at 5PM on Monday May 14 and they will also have an EP launch at Edinburgh’s Voodoo Rooms on May 23. This will come with support from Donna Maciocia and Randolph’s Leap, as well as yours truly on the (ahem) wheels of steel.
Check out the video for the lead track ‘Roots Below:’
Yes, we know, last year was quieter, but the big release round 17 Seconds Towers was the arrival of the wee man nearly eleven months ago.
Anyway, Matt Norris and the Moon have finished their fine, forthoming five track EP, and it sounds ace.
There will be all sorts of wonderfulness to come very shortly, think lots of gigs and launches and much, much more…
In the meantime, enjoy this, the first track to do the rounds from it:
And this is the four track demo that convinced us we had to work with them in the first place:
Never mind trying to post more new stuff this year, this was recorded in the last week!
A beautiful rendition of the Christmas carol, this also comes with extra information – such as the origin of the carol, what those three ships were, and how exactly sailing into Bethlehem may be a bit of poetic licence… Matt Norris play the Hogmanay celebrations on December 31, on the same stage as Primal Scream, Bombay Bicycle Club and Sons & Daughters.
I Saw Three Ships (Come Sailing In) by Matt Norris & the Moon
Meanwhile, although this stream is credited to Riley Briggs, this comes from a gig he and the other Aberfeldy members played at the Voodoo Rooms in Edinburgh. This was around the time that 17 Seconds Records had issued their single ‘Claire.’ This is a cover of the Chris de Burgh Christmas perennial. It would be great to hear the version of ‘Merry Xmas Everyone’ (yes, the Shakin’ Stevens one) that they performed at the Voodoo Rooms last Christmas.
The first time I came across Matt Norris and the Moon, they were the support act (along with Burntisland) for The Last Battle at the album launch for Last Battle’s Heart Of The Land, Soul Of The Sea.
Come March and I was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of entries for the Glastonbury Emerging Talent Contest, which I was one of the (forty) judges for. Matt Norris and the Moon were one of the standout entries and one of my three choices.
Eventually, Matt and I were introdiced by a mutual friend -and bizarrely, discovered that back when I was still teaching, I’d actually been a teacher at the school when Matt was still a student there. I expressed an interest in putting out some of their stuff…and we’re proud to announce that the band will be joining us here at 17 Seconds Records.
The band are Matt Norris, Tom MacColl, Dave Law, Helen Cookson and Dale Birrell. We will be doing an EP with them in the next few months.
Here are four excellent songs they have recorded:
First Light Of Day by Matt Norris & the Moon
Before There Is Frost by Matt Norris & the Moon
This Year by Matt Norris & the Moon
Tell The Land by Matt Norris & the Moon
…and here is an excellent video for ‘First Light Of Day’ directed by Julien Pearly:
Forthcoming gigs (just Scotland for now):
September:
14th – Edinburgh Unplugged, Medina, Edinburgh
22nd – Madhatters @ Hootenanny, Inverness w/ James Mackenzie and the Aquascene
23rd – Nice n Sleazy, Glasgow w/ James Mackenzie and the Aquascene
24th – Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh w/ James Mackenzie and the Aquascene
October
15th – Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh w/ Chasing Owls & Bear Bones
Watch this space for more info…