SEVENTYSEVENS
"8ighty
8ight / When Numbers Get Serious"
(M8; 2000)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
It'd be difficult to call Seventysevens a hard rock band, and you'd be way out of the park if you called them heavy metal. Still, this is one awesome band, playing a style of music that falls somewhere between The Rolling Stones and Blue Oyster Cult with a nice dosage of blues topping everything off.
As you may have guessed, "8ighty 8ight / When Numbers Get Serious" is actually a re-release of the band's 1994 live CD, "8ighty 8ight" packaged with an additional CD, "When Numbers Get Serious," containing sixteen more live tracks. At well over two hours of music, it's surprising that "8igthy 8ight" never once drags or gets dull. The band's original material is sharp and well-played and their covers (of which there are several) are surprisingly energetic and effective.
As mentioned above, this is one awesome band and their talent is clearly displayed on this live collection. The music is tight and vibrant and the bluesy guitar solos will have your jaw dropping in awe.
Interestingly, a disclaimer on the CD states that "this entire disc was compiled from non-official 'field recordings' made by our various engineers for reference or posterity only," and that "...they were recorded for fun only!" Yet both CDs sound just fine to me - better, in fact, than some major label live releases I've heard.
The bad news is that this CD may be hard to find. A quick check on Amazon.com found only one copy of the original single disc release, priced at a just under $30. The band does have a website, however, at www.77s.com, and - although I didn't see the CD for sale there - it's certainly worth checking back for.
For more information, check out http://www.77s.com.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2004 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights
reserved.
Revised: 16 Dec 2024 12:46:33 -0500.
