'LOOSE ENDS': Ltd edition of 1000 7" singles and download (2006)
'BIKINI ON WAIKIKI':Exclusive track on covermount CD of the June issue of ZERO Magazine (2006)
'Owl Cage':Forthcoming debut album(2008)
Video for 'LOOSE ENDS' single [Directed by Chiz Turnross]
KlubseaLs Vid One
Influences
Sounds Like
Seven Seals. A concoction of The Cardiacs, Fugazi, Talking Heads, Genesis, Status Quo, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Husker Du, Sonic Youth, Beastie Boys, Pere Ubu, Devo, Television, NWA, Blondie, Bauhaus, Slayer but mainly Seven Seals. We don't know the recipe.
It is official.
Owl Cage (album Numero Oono) is a Kast-iron Klassic. I think I was thrown into a temporary insanity thinking it wasn't only by the lack of Jimmy The Pony, 3 Feet High and (pff) 27 Kilometers or whatever it's called...
H slides into you like a Trouser Snake paying a visit to an Old Friend. It's a smooth and satisfying feeling. As ever it's Guitars You Can Sing Along To - De doo da doo...
Murderous! What a chord progression. Proof, if proof were needed that the Metallers have all the best tunes - they just don't know what to do with 'em. Strip off all that silly hair shaking, Yankee Twang and affected distortion and what left with is Seven Seals playing MURDEROUS. Flattened 5th Paradise.
Big D schizoid geetarz make way after seconds to reveal Pickers first Boognish impersonation on the album. "Boom, bum, de-da-goom!" It's also the first moment on the album you notice Mister Jimmy T's magickal bass playing - alternately pulling off and picking and tumping and farting in all the right places.
And so the communcation continues to seeeeeeeeep from Small Broadcasts "Get Yer Mental Wealth In Order - There Goes God". Creepy as Fuck and all the Sexier for it. Like being followed home by Doctor Death from Ye Olde Bluebelle - you know you're gonna get Bummed if he gets the courage up but Hell... it's flattering. It's my Live Favourite - I don't know what that says about me.
Ahargh! The singalong Guitarz are back - The Glover and The Bingley are Riffing like Kiss still necking the Qualudes on Monday morning and course That Line "Something Grey on the Radar, Grey and Green On the Radar - GRAHAM GREEN ON THE RADAR!!" But then this snog is a showcase for Pickers ability to write lyrics that despite what they mean just Feel Good in yer Mouth and are Quotable As Fuck. Sunglasses At Night or Murderama on the King's Throne? You might not have the Foggiest Tyne what they mean but you'll happily Shout them along with yer arm drunkenly sliding round the Person next to you.
And here are one of Jay and John's finest moments of the album. The absolutely demented intro riff to Cake and exactly how guitars should sound. Burn those Clapton albums you pretend you don't own and invent a time machine to KILLKILLKILL Steve VaTriani before the evil he commints to record can inspire generations of Wiggly Eyebroyed Wankfests. Leave him slumped on the ground with This Riff sticking out of him, dance about and sing "BETTER THAN YOU, BETTER THAN YOU!" I always thought this song was about Marie Antoinette but I think that's nothing more than my own lazily retarded thought process seeing the word Cake and linking it to the Very First Thing that springs to mind.
Cleo & the Drum is a belter of a tune - It's all late 80's Computer Music. Russky-tinged-gypsy-trilling-theme-Muzak for your Commadore 64 if it ever stopped showing that SYNTAX ERROR message actually fucking loaded that copy of Ghostbuster off that cassette tape. "A LETTER FROM YOU!" If you're not feverish with Seal-itis by this point then you are a cold carcass on the ground of a famous battlefield and even they wiggle their toes when your stealing their boots.
As if they know this - those cunning foxlike Seals stick you with Seventh Wave next - Their Conquering Anthem - Some crazy cross between the Seventh Reich and 1984 which paints a future of the world Post Seals Mania - it's the song little kids'll be made to learn in school when all the Flags show Bingley's eyes and it'll be law to grow moustachios almost as big but in No Way Bigger than Pickers.
Wondering where Bikini was? It was here All Along! Lyrical meisterwerk of cut-up stream of strop Psycho threats, that you can't help saying along; again Quotable as Hell - too many lines "Look where you're going/Make up your mind/Why not try Johannesburg?" Don't fancy that? You moron "Bric-a-brac!!!" "Why not try a crater like Mexico City?" "Get Her Kill Her Get Her Kill Her". Yar- does that mean we're Perverted Killers as well? O Well, if this is the soundtrack I'll put me Ma's favourite dress on and start carving up the bodies of dead Doxys now. The Rhythm Section are tighter than my Trousers here and if I've not mentioned Pounding Powney to this point - it's cos he's done his job remarkably. He is the reason you're dancing to all these songs like a 3 year old who's just discovered Wacko Jacko (that phrase just doesn't have the same meaning any more) but he doesn't detract from any of these beautiful odysseys by making you look at him.
Which leaves it to The Wheel to escort us up that Escalator to the sky, you can see Pickers Heading The Ball and Lassie-ing It Up and Receiving Electric Shock Treatment to the jilted rhythms of this song. You laugh now but we'll all be doing those dances in the Indie Haircut100 Discotheque next week. "O No, My Fucking Head" he admits before sliding off into Talking Hea-Ven - leaving the band to push us off an Escalator which has taken us thousands of miles up into air over the last 39 minures to hurtle towards the Earth. SMASH! Our bones shatter like vintage 78's and we're back.
Back in a mundane world where the Seals aren't playing Music, something has definitely changed though - it isn't Them it's Us.
The Kingpin
MUSIC NEWS.COM
...Imagine you are on a journey, a journey through space and time. But youre lost and alone - oh,
and its raining, probably on a Wednesday or Thursday. All you have with you are your emotions for
company, but strangely, youre happy, comfortable even. Thats Seven Seals debut 3-track single
Loose Ends.
A post-modern punk psychedelic metal Cooper Temple Clause-ish style wigout with a hint of
Television and oodles of groove. I like it! Signed Seven Sealed and delivered!.
The Barron
HIGH VOLTAGE
With a strong ear for a pop hook and a captivating live show to boast, SEVEN SEALS are more
than worth your attention.
Alistair Beech
MUSIC NEWS.COM - Islington Academy, London.
On a bill that included Jim Noir & The Delays, SEVEN SEALS proved to be the lead in the pencil.
Rocking riffs came hard and fast at times oozing Carter USM flare and Muse know-how.In an all too
short set they delivered a commanding performance with frontman Simon's handlebar tash the clear
star of the show.
Marco Gandilfi
UNPEELED
LUCY, LUCY, LUCY, LUCY, LUCY?
Seven Seals “Loose Ends”. Interesting, shoe-gazers with their chins and tails very definitely up. A very easy band to get right into,
for all their complexity, they’re very, very accessible, but it’s hard to hear how the business would ‘get’
them as they take Marillion to dodgy ole blues clubs on “Loose Ends”, drag pomp rock upspeed,
downmarket and into all kinds of scrapes as Dawn Of The Replicants get more than a look in on “Lassie”
and then “Radio K.I.D” bleep-feedbacks it’s ooze into a yelped through a megaphone wobbly-rock treat
that sounds like Rico’s been on the dials and more besides. This is excellent.
GIGWISE
‘Loose Ends’ is a classic expression of heartbreak in a slightly Mancunian, Bluesy effort. With riveting Bass
lines and adventurous Vocal lines, complimented with fuzzy Guitars and curious effects, Seven Seals have
produced a monster of a single and are sure to go far with today’s Indie-loving nation.
Lisle Gwyn
TRANSPARENT MAGAZINE.COM
Seven Seals - Loose Ends
...an ambitious band that are doing something different to the current influx of 'new bands' that we all
hear flouted around. For one thing, they can actually play their instruments.
They sound like the a modern Pere Ube with scratchy record-quality production and soothing prog
rock inspired guitar solos. And it's not just the single Loose Ends that deserves a mention, the b
sides, especially Radio K. I . D are worth the money alone.
Claire Evans
Have you finished your flapping album, you flippers? Is it out? Or what? Can Jaquan possess one? Will you do a gig in bastardfacing London one day please?
Featuring tracks by: Sir Yes Sir Pulled Apart By Horses Dinosaur Pile-Up Dutch Uncles Wave Machines Team Waterpolo Spodni Pradlo i Concur (re-mixed by Napoleon IIIrd) Mechanical Owl Tim and Sam's Tim and the Sam band
plus a fold out design-zine and an interview with akoustik Anarkhy. Compilations are available from www. myspace. com/acrossthepennines for £2 (plus postage & packaging) via paypal, all orders done via the myspace receive a free Across the Pennines badge whilst stocks lat!
Interesting fact about the new compilation: Factory Records design guru Peter Saville was the first person to buy a copy of the new compilation!
A nice review from the wonderfull people at NARC magazine....
hey seven seals! i've met you before when i've been teccing for ivan campo, my band is playing up your way at dickie doodles in kendal on sunday, please come and see us! am gonna watch you at kendal calling! jude x
Hola chaps! Nice to hear from you. Checked out Kendal Calling. Sounds like a party, might see thee there. New single eh?! Shall look forward to hearing it. Hope to catch up soon.
Across the Pennines Volume 5 is finally released!!
Featuring tracks by:
Rolo Tomassi Slow Club The Bon Bon Club ( Featuring members of Long Blondes ) The Debuts O Fracas The Witches Arms At Last The KBC Copycats & Modernaire
Artwork by:
Nous Vous Collective Matt Dutton Reykjavik Tourist Guide Emma Brown Ryan Doyle
An Interview with:
Ash – Bad Sneakers
And all just ( as ever, profit? What’s that then? ) for £2!!
You can purchase the new compilation from: www. myspace. com/acrossthepennines, Pure Groove ( London ), Jumbo ( Leeds ), Piccadilly Records ( Manchester ) and File-Under ( Japan )
Again it’s limited edition at 400 carefully Xeroxed and hand-folded by expertly trained Across the Pennines folding squad 3HX4819 so go and grab a copy before they are all gone!!!
Hey there brothers and sisters, come check these out!
Saturday 12th April: Andy Votel Lambhuna and friends present Twisted Nerve’s supremo and crate-digger supreme, showing off a masterclass in psych, funk and freak folk - with LA’s Gaslamp Killer and Lambhuna residents
Monday 14th April: Mystery Jets Eel Pie Island’s fave oddballs bring the irresistible pop joys of their new album ‘Twenty One’ to the Brickyard stage
Friday 18th April: The Sugars Solfest faves, these fuzzed-up doo-wop sweethearts kick out bluesy duets of heartache and jealousy. Support from Carlisle’s own Cosmic Cat and the Parlotones
Saturday 19th April: Exit Calm Holy Are You present Exit Calm, the perfect prescription for the recovering Verveaholic. With garage rock from Night Of Sevens and drones courtesy of The Lucid Dream
Monday 21st April: Danny & The Champions Of The World The new psychedelic folk-pop megagroup of Danny Wilson (of Grand Drive) featuring members of Goldrush, Brakes and the Electric Soft Parade. Support from Fading Face and the Cotton Controller as deejay
Tuesday 22nd April: Envy & Other Sins Eccentric Brit indie winners of Channel 4’s MobileAct Unsigned – with homegrown indie-pop masters Indigo Skins and the still-irrepressible Test The Tone
