more depressed?... you guys (and gal, though ella deserves more than a parenthetical inclusion) are a cheerful, fun lovin' bunch. why, i know whenever i'm in the mood for some moon pies and chocolate milk i can go to the scooter store, eat some snacks, and listen to the positive sounds of the DC Talk playing from your stereo. you can't fool me. anyhoo, i feel ready to include my much anticipated review to this thread. first, i must say a word or two about myself (really, how could i not?). simply, i think too much. this review will surely be reflective of that tendency. i can't think about the 'vibe' or 'mood', though i may refer to those aspects of the music. it is in the spirit of a total analysis of an analytical philosopher that i dissect your music, leaving it hopelessly devoid of the emotion it seeks to portray, so without further ado, at the first listen i said to myself, "u7d, one step forward in the same direction as before," but as i listened the album grew on me (literally, i've astoria sand in my pants). i couldn't define the moments that made this release better and different from the previous releases, but it is. i can safely say the steps forward are in nearly all directions for many paces. i'd like to sub-categorize some things; vocals- my, my! michael hennisen (hennigeson?, henniegeansoon?, halpenstance?) always said HRB was the best local vocalist in town. while i cannot agree, i cannot disagree. Mr. Brown's vocals are solid, powerful, and have their own tonal quality fitting a lead singer. most boys with guitars think they have a right to sing, that if you have lyrics and the desire to open your mouth it makes you a singer. Harry shames those emo or indie kids who are trying to find their voice while trying to sound like others. here it must be said that the Cure comparison must be left in 2003, with an independent Iraq the fear of elevated terror threat levels. harry has his own style. Ella's, and this complicates the next aspect of this review, namely the introduction of ella's vocals. i cannot think of a better compliment of Harry's tone than the smooth, tender leanings of u7d's female bassist. the only aspect that becomes apparently complicated is one of consistency. those things do not concern me, but major labels thrive on sounding the same and being predictable. in only that way is u7d less than marketable to corporate shills, and may it be so. i commend the bravery of any band to do as it wishes and to follow its muse. sometimes i want more ella vocals doubling, sometimes i want a non-syncopated melody from a two vocal part, but mostly i'm surprised by the way this works vocally. overall, i'm left with the desire to watch this band get better and better, only because it's an easy prediction to make and anticipate. drums- chris is not only a bad-ass, but his parts compliment, fully, the parts of other instruments. he seems to know the true role of the drums. to be sure, he is no john bonham, but he does not need to be, nor should he want to be. THIS how you play to this type of music, and i'd like to see anyone else with his double-bass prowess play so tastefully, yet deliver the power he does at the same time. keys- really, could i not talk about little bobby? he's my 4th brother. he's the mary-ann to my professor. and he can play the keyboards. a true discussion of bobby cannot be had in this thread, but in the context of this band he has improved after playing with u7d, and they have improved with him, if in only that they have come to accept this proto-type of a man as one of their own. albuquerque is doing something right, and it can be reflected in the sheen of bobby's pink hair as the sun sets over the west mesa. guitars- chunky, powerful, distorted, and a bit loose; u7d's harry and tony can be all of these things and more. lists makes me wonder if tony got special treatment during the mix. where i hardly hear tony live, he is a driving factor on the album, and i'm not sure how i feel about that. he is playing what i am implying in my head during the live shows, and i don't know if my version or his version is better. his playing no way detracts from the songs, and it really only hits you if you are used to the live versions of these songs. there is always some melody creeping from one guitar or another, and you're never sure if a huge power chord or a single note is going to hit on the next 1, but the decision is almost always a tasteful, reasonable, and exciting one. bass- ah, the female bass player. one might even think it cliche (french accents not included, though the smell of brie is implied). in this setting, thankfully, ella stands as a bass player alone. her lines, like all parts of u7d, are a compliment to the song. they work with the 'mood' (i knew i couldn't get out without including that word), and i even wonder if she secretly listens to geddy lee's playing when no one else is around. she's come a long way from her first gigs with the band, but her presence in the band has elevated (sorry about the pun)them beyond where, no offense intended here, harry could take it alone. lyrics- i'm a fan of dylan, cohen, roberts, barrett. these lyrics are not of the same category, but, in a way, they can strike the same effect. there are emotional cues in the songs, and these are powerful regardless of any literary illusions or biblical references. there are no bad lyrics, none that make me cringe, and in a world where nearly every song on the radio does that to me, that's a supreme compliment. early u7d makes me think of a band that missed the boat on some popular trend in some alternate universe. now, however, the band seems less adrift and more ahead. it will be a forward-thinking label to sign this band, and to be sure this band should be signed. i can see many people enjoying this music. the album, in the end, leaves me with questions. what would u7d sound like if they worked with a well known producer? how would a nigel goodrich, a steve albini, a george martin effect this band? what is the next album going to sound like and can they sustain the progress made here? lists is solid, and promises a firm future of good music if these young musicians are allowed to create freely, to move without hinderance. the next time i see the pope, i'll ask him to say a special prayer for these ragamuffins, though they may not need it. may u7d continue to be praised by the local pillars of our scene. they are what is right in albuquerque. go see them live, and though there is a woman on stage, let that no way detract from your wanting to throw panties at them from the audience. i promise bobby will smell them.