Saturday, February 15, 2014

ALBUM REVIEW - The 7th Sons - Hard Tails


 

Jerry Eady:  Guitar/Vocals
Steve Kost:  Drums
Mark Groble:  Bass
 
I've been listening to the 7th Sons since they were a 2 piece playing Black Keys and White Stripes covers, also conquering classics by the Doors, and other unexpected tunes.  The addition of a bass player has added a completely different element to their sound.  They describe themselves as "classic rock to punk, hard rock to rock n blues...  pulled out of array of freestyle jams".  These guys are NOT your typical "jam band" but there's influences (and all but 1 tune is over 5 minutes long).  
 
Their first album of original music came as a little surprise to me.  A little harder edge than I would have expected.  That being said full of Seventh Sons attitude, balls and clearly hard work. The songs on the album are all well written, and put together.  I mentioned the length but these guys know what they're doing and have the chops to have 6, 8 or 9 minute songs.  The opening track "Soul Soup" has a great beat, then the lyrics starts and the song transforms to another place!  That's the magic of the Seventh Sons.  They're a little like the old saying "if you don't like what you hear wait 5 minutes".  Sometimes the beginning won't sound like the middle or the end.
 
Another stand out track is oddly the shortest song on the album "Mind the Gap".  Brings feelings of sunshine, beers, and girls!  A good old rock n roll song.  Doesn't sound like the rest of the album.  It's a nice little pick me up.  This sound might be something the band could explore in the future.  One more standout was "Right a Wrong".  A song about all the bullshit life has to offer and sometimes you have right the wrong to handle it.  Another well written tune.  The rest of the album is a journey through their eyes.  The songs are about real shit, that can happen, will happen or has happened to anybody.  At the same time they jam, make you want to dance, and forget your troubles.  Good time music indeed.  "Fragments" is slow burner at over 8 minutes about picking up the pieces, yet I still find myself bobbing my head, and rockin' along.  Again, who hasn't been there?  This is music you can relate to.
 
I'm looking forward to see how the songs play out live.  Now that the album is out it's time to tour. 
 
The album closes with a live cover of my favorite Doors song Peace Frog.  These guys again nail it, yet add their own "Sons magic" and make the song their own.  I'd be the first to say it if they butchered this song.  They don't.  Trust me.
 
These guys are friends of mine.  Hard working family guys.  Talented songwriters and musicians.  I'm honored to have reviewed their album on our little blog.  It's awesome that we all have our forums to bring music to the masses.  Now, if you're EVER in the Chicago area and they're playing go see them.  And buy their record!
 
-Mike Downing
 
 






















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