Seconds - Archives - Stylus Magazine

Seconds

Seconds was Stylus Magazine's column about magic moments in music — not full songs, but the specific seconds within a song that make it unforgettable. A drum break, a vocal crack, a lyric that hits differently on the hundredth listen. Each installment isolated one moment and made the case for why it mattered. The column ran from 2003 to 2007 and featured some of the site's most passionate, personal writing.

192 entries — newest to oldest

Final Seconds	Stylus Staff	(0)	2007-10-29
Percy Sledge - Dark End of the Street	Brad Shoup	(2)	2007-10-26
The Cardigans - Give Me Your Eyes	Dan Weiss	(0)	2007-10-25
Hefner – Painting and Kissing	Ian Mathers	(0)	2007-10-17
Okkervil River - A Stone	Richard O’Brien	(7)	2007-10-03
Nelly Furtado - Do It	Tal Rosenberg	(0)	2007-09-20
The Stooges - Penetration	Stewart Voegtlin	(0)	2007-09-18
New Order – Leave Me Alone	Ian Mathers	(0)	2007-09-12
The Runaways - Dead End Justice	Theon Weber	(0)	2007-09-05
Stars – Heart	Ian Mathers	(12)	2007-08-27
Aesop Rock - Daylight	Evan McGarvey	(0)	2007-08-21
Bukka White - Parchman Farm Blues	Stewart Voegtlin	(0)	2007-08-15
The New Pornographers - Use It	Ian Mathers	(10)	2007-08-08
David Bowie - I’m Not Quite	John M. Cunningham	(1)	2007-07-30
Nick Lowe - Switchboard Susan	Dan Weiss	(0)	2007-07-23
The Little Ones - Lovers Who Uncover	Andrew Iliff	(0)	2007-07-18
LCD Soundsystem - Someone Great	Derek Miller	(0)	2007-07-16
The Magnetic Fields - 100,000 Fireflies	Tal Rosenberg	(0)	2007-07-06
Talking Heads - Lifetime Piling Up	Mallory O’Donnell	(0)	2007-06-20
Life Without Buildings – Juno	Ian Mathers	(0)	2007-06-13
Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Titch - Hold Tight	Tal Rosenberg	(2)	2007-05-31
Bjork – Cocoon	John M. Cunningham	(0)	2007-05-18
Red House Painters – Have You Forgotten	Ian Mathers	(0)	2007-05-10
Sting - Why Should I Cry for You?	Mallory O’Donnell	(1)	2007-05-02
Kate Bush - Constellation of the Heart	Theon Weber	(0)	2007-04-16
Kate Bush – Experiment IV	Thomas Inskeep	(1)	2007-04-16
Modest Mouse - Tiny Cities Made of Ashes	Theon Weber	(2)	2007-04-05
Frida - There’s Something Going On	Alfred Soto	(2)	2007-03-27
The Five Satins - The Masquerade Is Over	Brad Shoup	(0)	2007-03-15
The Kinks - Waterloo Sunset	Jayson Greene	(0)	2007-03-14
Spiritualized – Rated X	Ian Mathers	(0)	2007-03-06
U2: Running to Stand Still	Andrew Iliff	(0)	2007-03-01
Stevie Wonder - As / Another Star	Mallory O’Donnell	(5)	2007-02-20
The Kinks – This Time Tomorrow	Tal Rosenberg	(0)	2007-02-12
Paul McCartney: Take It Away	Thomas Inskeep	(0)	2007-02-05
Fleetwood Mac – Over My Head	Brad Shoup	(0)	2007-01-31
Al Green - Beware	Alfred Soto	(2)	2007-01-30
The Wedding Present – Take Me!	Ian Mathers	(0)	2007-01-22
Rahsaan Roland Kirk: Seasons	Brad Shoup	(0)	2007-01-17
Michael Penn - No Myth	Alfred Soto	(0)	2007-01-09
Sam & Dave: May I Baby	Brad Shoup	(0)	2007-01-08
Diana Ross: Why Do Fools Fall In Love / Mirror, Mirror	Thomas Inskeep	(0)	2006-12-13
Philip Bailey & Phil Collins: Easy Lover	Mallory O’Donnell	(0)	2006-12-06
Super Furry Animals – Arnofio/Glô in the Dark	Iain Forrester	(0)	2006-11-29
The Mountain Goats: Have to Explode	Ian Mathers	(0)	2006-11-22
Kelley Polar: Here in the Night	Derek Miller	(1)	2006-11-08
The Rolling Stones: Something Happened to Me Yesterday	Theon Weber	(0)	2006-11-01
Boredoms: Super Going	Andrew Unterberger	(2)	2006-10-26
Neil Diamond - Soolaimon	Derek Miller	(0)	2006-10-18
Joy Division - The Kill	Ian Mathers	(0)	2006-10-10
JJ72: Snow	Iain Forrester	(0)	2006-10-04
Evanescence - Call Me When You’re Sober	Brad Shoup	(0)	2006-09-13
Crowded House: Into Temptation	Ian Mathers	(0)	2006-09-06
Grateful Dead: Box of Rain	Andrew Gaerig	(5)	2006-08-30
Radiohead: You and Whose Army?	Derek Miller	(0)	2006-08-22
The Sisters of Mercy: Some Kind of Stranger	Mallory O’Donnell	(0)	2006-08-09
Brian Eno: Mother Whale Eyeless	Derek Miller	(0)	2006-08-02
Taana Gardner: Heartbeat	Alfred Soto	(0)	2006-07-26
Underworld: Dirty Epic	Mallory O’Donnell	(0)	2006-07-19
Snow Patrol: An Olive Grove Facing the Sea	Nick Southall	(1)	2006-07-17
Chumbawamba: Amnesia	Ian Mathers	(0)	2006-07-12
Phil Milstein: Louie	Cameron Macdonald	(0)	2006-06-28
Herman’s Hermits: No Milk Today	Tim Ellison	(0)	2006-06-22
Icehouse: Electric Blue	Andrew Unterberger	(0)	2006-06-14
Michael Jackson: Man in the Mirror	Andrew Gaerig	(1)	2006-06-07
The Mountain Goats	Mike Powell	(0)	2006-05-30
Bonnie Raitt: I Can’t Make You Love Me	John M. Cunningham	(0)	2006-05-23
Heat	Chris Flynn	(0)	2006-05-22
Rufus Wainwright: Damned Ladies	Mike Powell	(0)	2006-05-16
Pulp: Common People	Mallory O’Donnell	(0)	2006-05-10
Iron & Wine: Sodom, South Georgia / Passing Afternoon	Ian Mathers	(5)	2006-05-03
Cat Power: He War	Josh Timmermann	(1)	2006-04-26
Janet Jackson: Nasty	Jeff Siegel	(0)	2006-04-17
New Edition: If It Isn’t Love	Mallory O’Donnell	(0)	2006-04-17
Sam Cooke: Rome (Wasn’t Built in a Day)	Justin Cober-Lake	(0)	2006-04-12
Van Halen: Spanish Fly	Stewart Voegtlin	(0)	2006-04-05
Cocteau Twins: Cherry-Coloured Funk	Peter Parrish	(0)	2006-03-29
Interpol: PDA	Ian Mathers	(0)	2006-03-22
!!!: Theme from Space Island	Cameron Macdonald	(0)	2006-03-15
Public Image Limited: Fodderstompf	Cameron Macdonald	(0)	2006-03-09
Mariah Carey: Emotions	Andrew Unterberger	(0)	2006-03-01
David Bowie: Rebel Rebel	Mallory O’Donnell	(4)	2006-02-22
Neutral Milk Hotel: Ghost	Brad Shoup	(15)	2006-02-15
The Sea and Cake: Showboat Angel	Mike LeChevallier	(0)	2006-02-08
Sonic Youth: Chapel Hill	Whitney Strub	(0)	2006-02-01
Beastie Boys: Year and a Day	Cameron Macdonald	(0)	2006-01-25
Wire: Blessed State	Ian Mathers	(0)	2006-01-18
Thrush Hermit: From the Back of the Film	Matt Sheardown	(0)	2006-01-11
Oval: Do While	Cameron Macdonald	(2)	2006-01-04
Liquid Liquid: Optimo	Jeff Siegel	(1)	2005-12-21
The United States of America: The American Way of Love (Part III – Love is All)	Cameron Macdonald	(1)	2005-12-14
Steely Dan: The Boston Rag	Brad Shoup	(0)	2005-12-07
Ben Folds Five: Army	Brad Shoup	(5)	2005-11-23
Pépé Bradock: Deep Burnt	Michael F. Gill	(0)	2005-11-16
The Smashing Pumpkins: Set the Ray to Jerry	Ross McGowan	(11)	2005-11-16
The Toadies: Possum Kingdom	Ross McGowan	(0)	2005-11-09
The The: Dogs of Lust	Brad Shoup	(0)	2005-11-02
Electric Light Orchestra: Sweet Talkin’ Woman	Edward Oculicz	(0)	2005-10-26
The Silver Jews: Random Rules	Ross McGowan	(0)	2005-10-19
David Allan Coe: Monkey David Wine	Justin Cober-Lake	(0)	2005-10-12
The Fall: Hip Priest	Ian Mathers	(0)	2005-10-05
Leonard Cohen: Take This Waltz	Ian Mathers	(0)	2005-09-07
Liz Phair: Nashville	Josh Timmermann	(0)	2005-08-31
The Wu-Tang Clan with Isaac Hayes: I Can’t Go to Sleep	Brad Shoup	(0)	2005-08-24
Can: Bel Air	Jeff Siegel	(0)	2005-08-17
The Weakerthans: Aside	Ian Mathers	(0)	2005-08-10
Text: Sound Is Compressed; Words Rebel and Hiss	Brad Shoup	(0)	2005-08-03
The Dismemberment Plan: Gyroscope	Ross McGowan	(0)	2005-07-27
Liars: Mr. You’re on Fire Mr.	Jeff Siegel	(0)	2005-07-20
Sophie Ellis-Bextor: Mixed Up World	Brad Shoup	(0)	2005-07-13
The Supremes: When The Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes	Brad Shoup	(0)	2005-06-29
Broadcast: Until Then	Ian Mathers	(0)	2005-06-15
Donald Fagen: "I.G.Y."	John M. Cunningham	(0)	2005-05-25
Rival Schools: The Switch	Ian Mathers	(0)	2005-05-18
Chic: Le Freak	William B. Swygart	(0)	2005-05-04
Simple Minds: Up On The Catwalk	Peter Parrish	(0)	2005-04-27
Barbara Dickson & Elaine Paige: I Know Him So Well	Scott McKeating	(0)	2005-04-20
The Stone Roses: I Am The Resurrection	Nick Southall	(0)	2005-04-06
Souls of Mischief: ’93 ‘Til Infinity	Luke Adams	(0)	2005-03-30
Dälek: Distorted Prose	Scott McKeating	(0)	2005-03-23
Public Image Limited: Disappointed	Alfred Soto	(3)	2005-03-16
Bryan Adams: Summer of 69	Scott McKeating	(0)	2005-03-10
Pet Shop Boys: Young Offender	Alfred Soto	(0)	2005-02-23
The Mountain Goats: Golden Boy	Bryan Berge	(0)	2005-02-16
Phantom/Ghost: Perfect Lovers	Michael F. Gill	(0)	2005-02-09
The Magnetic Fields: I Don’t Want to Get Over You	Luke Adams	(0)	2005-02-02
Elastica: Mad Dog God Dam	Ian Mathers	(0)	2005-01-26
Can: Father Cannot Yell	Justin Cober-Lake	(0)	2005-01-19
Sophie B. Hawkins: Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover	Dom Passantino	(6)	2005-01-12
U2: All I Want Is You	Ian Mathers	(0)	2005-01-05
The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl: Fairytale Of New York	Ian Mathers	(4)	2004-12-24
Echo and the Bunnymen: Villiers Terrace	J.T. Ramsay	(0)	2004-12-08
Cabaret Voltaire: Nag Nag Nag	Ian Mathers	(0)	2004-12-01
Coil: A Cold Cell	Scott McKeating	(2)	2004-11-24
Archers of Loaf: Web in Front	Kareem Estefan	(0)	2004-11-17
The Sisters of Mercy: Adrenochrome	Peter Parrish	(0)	2004-11-10
Sixpence None The Richer: Kiss Me	Dom Passantino	(0)	2004-11-03
Wire: Ex Lion Tamer	Ian Mathers	(0)	2004-10-13
Passengers: Miss Sarajevo	Scott McKeating	(0)	2004-09-30
Mercury Rev: Chasing a Bee	Scott McKeating	(0)	2004-09-22
Bikini Kill: In Accordance to Natural Law	Bjorn Randolph	(0)	2004-09-08
Bjork: Pagan Poetry	Scott McKeating	(0)	2004-09-01
Buzzcocks: Boredom / Orange Juice: Rip It Up	Todd Hutlock	(1)	2004-08-25
The Beta Band: Pure For	Nick Southall	(0)	2004-08-18
The Damned: New Rose	Peter Parrish	(0)	2004-08-11
Plumtree: The Game	Ian Mathers	(0)	2004-08-04
The Teardrop Explodes: Reward	Peter Parrish	(0)	2004-07-28
Juno: The French Letter	Todd Burns	(0)	2004-07-21
Underworld: Rez and Cowgirl	Andrew Unterberger	(0)	2004-07-15
Gavin Bryars: Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet	Scott McKeating	(0)	2004-07-07
Oasis: Talk Tonight	Kilian Murphy	(0)	2004-06-30
Sparks: Tryouts for the Human Race	Todd Burns	(0)	2004-06-24
Disco Inferno: The Five EPs	Nick Southall	(0)	2004-06-18
Manic Street Preachers: No Surface All Feeling	Ian Mathers	(0)	2004-06-10
Avril Lavigne: Complicated	Kilian Murphy	(0)	2004-06-03
Mogwai: R U Still In 2 It?	Ian Mathers	(0)	2004-05-27
Delakota: The Rock	Nick Southall	(0)	2004-05-20
Wilco: I Am Trying To Break Your Heart	Ian Mathers	(5)	2004-05-13
Blur: He Thought of Cars	Kilian Murphy	(3)	2004-05-06
Lo-Fidelity All Stars featuring Pigeonhed: Battle Flag	Ian Mathers	(0)	2004-04-22
The Rapture: House of Jealous Lovers	Andrew Unterberger	(0)	2004-04-15
Leonard Cohen: Hallelujah	Colin Cooper	(0)	2004-04-08
The Ronettes: Be My Baby	Ian Mathers	(0)	2004-04-01
The Cocteau Twins	Matthew Weiner	(0)	2004-03-22
Plaid: Squance	Nick Southall	(0)	2004-03-19
Xiu Xiu: I Luv the Valley (OH!)	Kareem Estefan	(0)	2004-03-18
Bark Psychosis: Absent Friend	Nick Southall	(0)	2004-03-08
A.R. Kane: A Love From Outer Space	Sam Bloch	(0)	2004-03-04
Norman Greenbaum: Spirit in the Sky	Gabe Gloden	(0)	2004-02-26
The Smiths: There Is A Light That Never Goes Out"	Gentry Boeckel and Ian Mathers	(0)	2004-02-19
Pretty Girls Make Graves: Speakers Push the Air	Kareem Estefan	(0)	2004-02-12
White Town: Your Woman	Nick Southall	(0)	2004-02-05
The Wedding Present: Corduroy	Todd Hutlock	(0)	2004-01-29
King Tubby: Dubbin’ of the Ten Thousand	Michael Heumann	(0)	2004-01-22
Fear Factory: Resurrection	Scott McKeating	(0)	2004-01-15
Jefferson Airplane: WCBT	Dave Queen	(0)	2004-01-08
Elvis Costello: Lipstick Vogue	Ian Mathers	(0)	2003-12-18
Gram Parsons: $1000 Wedding	Josh Love	(1)	2003-12-11
Brian Eno: Cindy Tells Me	Gentry Boeckel	(0)	2003-11-20
Doves: The Cedar Room	Ian Mathers	(0)	2003-11-13
Bjork: Bachelorette	Michael Patrick Brady	(0)	2003-11-06
Venom: One Thousand Days in Sodom	Dave Queen	(0)	2003-10-30
Bob Dylan: Most of the Time	Lisa Oliver	(0)	2003-10-23
Boredoms: Super Going	Andrew Unterberger	(0)	2003-10-09
Massive Attack: Trinity Dub	Billy Rowlandson	(0)	2003-10-02
Jane’s Addiction: Three Days	Scott McKeating	(0)	2003-09-25
Orbital: Halcyon + on + on	Nick Southall	(1)	2003-09-18
Freda Payne: Band of Gold	G. E. Light	(0)	2003-09-11
The Beatles: Dear Prudence	Edwin Faust	(0)	2003-09-04
My Blood Valentine: Only Shallow	G. E. Light	(0)	2003-08-21
Miles Davis: Spanish Key	Nick Southall	(0)	2003-08-07
Public Image Ltd.: Memories	Matthew Weiner	(0)	2003-07-31