Month: January 2014
The Cure – Seventeen Seconds (1980)
On virtually every vacation I take, a trip around the local used record stores is a must. I usually come out with 10+ discs that I may or may not listen to for quite awhile; often they are filling blank spots in the collection. A trip to Portland, Or last year was no different. It took exactly a year to finally get around to listening to the second album by The Cure, Seventeen Seconds. Sharing the same sparse minimalism as the debut, Three Imaginary Boys, Seventeen Seconds leaves behind some of that album’s punky roots and moves the band into its gothic phase.
“Play For Today” with the chorus, “and wait for something to happen” bears the most resemblance to what appeared on the debut. “In Your House” features an almost jangly guitar line that Johnny Marr would become famous for a few years later. The instrumental “Three” has a menacing vibe that sees the band moving in a new darker direction. Single “A Forest” adds a bass propulsion to the sound that makes it the standout track and “M” contains the most conventional alt rock sound on the album.
Through no fault of its own, Seventeen Seconds is not the record that the casual fan of The Cure would reach for, myself included. It’s good, very good in spots, but with so many other great albums by The Cure, this one will virtually always get lost in the shuffle outside of the most diehard of fans.
7.5/10
Drinking Buddies OST (2013)
For the past several months, the movie Drinking Buddies has been on my “must see list”. When I finally saw it recently, I absolutely loved it! A slow moving yet utterly charming and funny movie. I next to never buy soundtracks, last one was Billy Elliot(!!), but I did for this one. Something about the music just fit perfectly with the whole feel of the movie. And what is the feel? Its summertime BBQs, nights at the lake, and weeknight drinking beers in half empty pubs.
Broken up into three parts, the soundtrack starts off with the high falsetto of Richard Swift’s “Lady Luck” followed by the upbeat indie rock of Cayucas and the 90s ska-like horns of Rubblebucket. The middle section is dominated by singer-songwriter (mostly) acoustic ballads, the centrepiece being the nine minute wonder “Soon It Will Be Fire” by Richard Youngs. Here We Go Magic appear late with the terrific “How Do I Know” before Canadians Plants and Animals close things out. If I had discovered this a few weeks ago, it surely would have been in my top ten of the year.
9/10
Review also found at UMFM
…I should have let her know…
Top 10 Albums of 2013
Another year has come and gone. Below is our favourite albums of the year. As usual, the disclaimer is that the list is never static as we’re still working on “new to us” 2013 finds. But for now, this is where we stand. Happy new year!
10. Phosphorescent – Muchacho
09. Camera Obscura – Desire Lines
08. Yo La Tengo – Fade
07. Lorde – Pure Heroine
06. Daft Punk – Random Access Memories
05. Disclosure – Settle
04. Kanye West – Yeezus
03. Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampires Of The City
02. Julia Holter – Loud City Song
01. The National – Trouble Will Find Me
The Light Appears 