Needle Time

  17 Pygmies - Captured In Ice [LOLITA 5051 FRA 1986 24-Bit FLAC] Back among the earliest days of Needle Time, I posted the debut long player by Los Angeles experimental indie-rock band, 17 Pygmies, Jedda By The Sea . The group had spun off out of UCLA via Bruce Licher's Savage Republic.  This is their second album, ripped from the French pressing on Lolita Records. Much more accessible than the debut (although the sleeve design would not suggest that), Captured In Ice is a joyful reflection on eighties indie-pop with catchy melodies and charming vocal lines. I ripped this using my old deck and a Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge a few years back however, until now, I never got around to mastering & publishing my rip. Despite the occasional crackle from a few flaws, it sounds okay and is a fine representation of a band who were sadly overlooked outside their home markets. As I am a bit busy with other stuff (this could be my last post until early November), you should give this ...

17 Pygmies - Jedda By The Sea [RTD 27 GER 1984 24-Bit FLAC] Something very different for your Saturday. 17 Pygmies were initially a spin-off group from Mark Eskine & Bruce Licher of Savage Republic who released four albums up until 1991, and then reformed for new recordings in 2007 and appear to remain extant.  Jedda By The Sea was their first and is by all accounts is highly addictive as it features a vast array of influences ...from post-punk through to folk, latin and traditional, almost classical music. This is not the kind of album you should dip in and out of, it needs to be heard in one sitting as only then will you begin to understand their intentions. Only one other band, Dead Can Dance attempted this mix of genres, 17 Pygmies are very different from DCD, listen to Jedda and you will hear what I mean. A1 Words Never Said A2 Waiting To Arrive A3 Still Waters A4 Moment In Ceylon A5 Jerusalem A6 By The Sea B1 Last Grave At Dimbaza B2 Lazar...