the 77s - 7

Disclaimer: This post is mostly centred on the vinyl release of the latest 77s record. The record contains seven songs but the download, streaming and CD have more. Which bugged me then and bugs me now. I have tried though to stay focused on what matters, and what matters is the band have a new record, and that it is worth celebrating. However, it didn't stop me from taking the odd potshot.

7 has been waiting patiently on my shelf for months. When the band announced their intentions to record a new album, I was excited - and a bit anxious too. Could the guys actually deliver an album worth listening to after all this time? I jumped in relatively early as Kickstarter backer 266, glad to have a hand in bringing the project to life. These kinds of endeavours demand patience, but that’s part of their charm, and it ends up making the final product all the more rewarding. I wasn’t alone in my anticipation; with 1,373 backers and over $100,000 raised, the band received an impressive show of support. Although I missed their original wave in the early ‘80s, I’ve been along for much of the journey but am still a newcomer compared to the diehard fans, but it’s the passionate core (and the occasional newbie like me) who keep the flame burning. In a time when legacy acts are often told to stick to the hits, it’s admirable to see a band creating new music for an audience who’s genuinely excited to hear what they are going to come up with.

As the project came together, it became clear the vinyl release wouldn’t include all of the tracks that were recorded for the project. The vinyl version of 7 features seven songs - a nod to the conceit hiding in plain sight. It's in the title! Even if it was arguably the wrong move to leave some tracks off the record, I also received the full digital version that contained all songs and bonus material. So, I wasn’t exactly left out. Apparently, the symmetry of seven tracks was reserved for the vinyl enthusiasts. I resisted the urge to play the digital copy before giving the record its proper due. I wanted 7 to stand on its own, without knowing what was missing. I just told myself, these were the best songs.

So how is it? I'll get there, but first, a bit more meanderambling. I waited for the album, so you can wait for the verdict. Here’s a teaser: it’s a grower, not a shower.

77s are essentially two bands rolled into one. There’s the gritty, blues-infused 77s - the ones who tore into tracks like “Pearls Before Swine”, “Earache” (no comment), and most of Holy Ghost Building, which is a 77s album but apparently not considered ‘canon’ as it’s an album of covers. Then there’s the alternative power pop 77s, sweet and melodic and occasionally pretty. That’s the version that resonates most with me. From their debut, “Denomination Blues” showed the group’s knack for balancing forward-looking ideas while paying respect to their roots. If you’re expecting a rundown of their catalogue’s highlights, you’ll be waiting a while; I’ll just mention their last original, “A Lifetime Without You” the lone original from Holy Ghost Building, which meshed dreamy pop with raw emotion, both polished and rough at once. I do appreciate the raw, messy side of the band, but I prefer them when things are a bit more refined.

7 marks their first bona fide rock and roll record since 2001’s A Golden Field Of Radioactive Crows (Direct from 2002 was an EP). Oddly, or maybe intentionally, 7 picks up right where they left off. That’s not a criticism. I remember reading an interview with Drew Arnott (of Strange Advance) about his writing process. When asked if he tried to recapture his ‘80s sound, he simply replied, “I write what I hear in my head, and what I hear sounds like what I heard before. I don’t know how to not sound like me.” I’m sure the 77s are much the same. They’re shaped by their influences, and while there might be genre shifts, in the end, they sound like themselves.

No, it’s not a dig to say 7 picks up from their last record. Once young men, they are now elder statesmen - albeit reluctantly, but they wear it well. A bit weathered, rough around the edges, occasionally salty, but definitely seasoned. I won’t claim they’re mature. This isn’t Spider-Man territory (“with great age comes great responsibility”); it’s more “with great age comes a need for acetylsalicylic acid and A535.”

Back to the big question: how is it?

I’ve decided to provide seven answers, breaking it down to the component parts. The EP runs 33 minutes at 33 1/3 RPM. If my biggest gripe is with the length, that’s a good sign – are the songs strong?

Absolutely. I may have somewhat facetiously said it was a grower, and I meant it. It was pretty good the from the first spin, but the album has legs and the more you play it the better it gets. 

First out the gate is "Out of the Clouds" and my goodness Michael, Bruce and Mark are dropping the gauntlet right off the bat. Boy howdy this is a great song. I was driving my mother in law the other day and I was playing this in the car and I notice she's tapping along with the song. When it ended she looked over and said, "That was a good song." Yeah mum, that was a good song. Now because I have the temperament of an eight year old my brain has been replacing the word "Cloud" with "Ass" which to me seems to fit the mood and lyrical context better than the fluffy white puff of water vapour. Sing it with me, "Pull your head down out of your ass." Yeah, I'm not proud. Did I mention that this is a killer song? I love the lyrical pull and the call and response. Decades into their career the guys are still finding new and clever ways to express themselves.

"Saddle Up" continues the momentum and the opening pull off riff is simple and really effective. The guitar counterpoint just elevates things. The locked in groove supplied by Mark and Bruce is so tight. My neck gets sore from bobbing my head. Of course, the ugly head of immaturity pops up when Mike sings "to see a man about a horse" is as much as I heard before I went on an internal tangent. After about a dozen times through I was more or less able to reign in my herd of wandering thoughts and allow him to finish the sentence "... I could bet on." It's a struggle.

The next couple of songs are what I like to this of as "pretty" 77s songs. The first is "Heart Back" a syrupy mid tempo tune with soaring backing vocals. I really do like this one, but on a scale of, oh let's just pull something out of the air here, one to seven I'd give this a seven. 

The second of the "pretty" songs, closes out side one. "Shiloah" is a dreamy track that early on creates an ethereal mood. "Shiloah" is one of those songs where the title doesn't appear in the song, but it ties together the lyrics. Not being a man of letters, I had to look this one up. In short, if I get this right it conveys the quiet and steady faithfulness of God. The song also features a lot of really tasty fret work. What a great song.

Flip the record and we’re down to the last three tracks. “Hand to God” is classic 77s, jangly with a 12-string and a nod to The Byrds. Michael even mimics Roger’s messy solo style at the end, evoking “Eight Miles High” in the best possible way. It’s a mid-tempo burner and catchy too.

“Silence” has an infectious groove. The band knows how to build tension, and this song winds it up tight. There’s a killer bridge leading to a guitar breakdown, but instead of going over the top, Michael opts for descending notes and a droning high E, with the resolution coming only in the outro.

There are only three songs on side two and suddenly we’ve reached the end. “Be Still” is another softer rock track, the final piece in a triptych of musically connected compositions. This is introspective 77s at their finest, and again Mark and Bruce’s rhythmic lock-in is superb. Mike’s emotional delivery packs a punch. If there’s a flaw, it’s the decision to fade out to silence, leaving things ethereal and unresolved.

With that, I heard the familiar crackle as the needle hit the deadwax, signalling the end of the album. 

That was the record, and man it was so good. It literally left me wanting more. Thankfully, there was more ... just not more where it should have been. There were four additional tracks not included on the vinyl: “Forbidden Fruit”, “Weedzlers”, “Sonata”, and “Uncle Gene”. Of these, I’d have included “Forbidden Fruit” and removed “Heart Back” without hesitation if they wanted to stay true to the whole 7 on 7 thing. “Forbidden Fruit” is arguably one of the coolest tracks recorded for the project. There was still enough room to also include “Sonata”, with its spaghetti western vibe, would have made Morricone or Bacalov proud - an odd duck, but it would’ve been perfect to start side two. At the very least they could have included “Forbidden Fruit” to balance four tracks per side.

They didn't and that's just how it is. 

Which leaves two tracks, and oddly it was these two songs that were selected to be a seven inch single. “Weedzlers” is a fun boogie-woogie rocker. It's the kind of song the 77s could write in their sleep, and “Uncle Gene” which to me is a cookie cutter track. They're okay, but not essential. I don’t mind their omission.

I've tried not to dwell on what’s missing, but to be grateful for what I got. The packaging is great, and I love the cover art, and the gatefold, and the lyrics. Heck, even the record is cool too. Even though I seemed to diss "Heart Back" it too is a good song. I was worried that after all this time the guys wouldn't have any gas left in the tank and resort to repeating themselves or just go through the motions. I really love this one, if this happens to be the last album they record, the band went out at the top of their game. Sure the record may not have contained all of the tracks, but for everyone else who streams or downloads 7 they're getting the whole kit and kaboodle and are in for a treat. 

The 77s are back.

Excuse me, I have to go see a man about a horse ...