7 Drinks Too Many

REBELS, ROMANTICS, AND GHOSTS REVIEW---------Rebels, Romantics and Ghosts is in many ways typical of DIY punk albums – rough around the edges, with the focus on capturing the essence of the band rather than obscuring with a veil of overproduction. It's raw, honest and occasionally awkward - all the things that typically separate punk from the mainstream. Overall the Seven Drinks sound is brash and basic, drawing on a wide range of influences, but never letting them take over. Elements of roots music are evident throughout - several songs feature mandolin, banjo and harmonica - often injected with more than a hint of irony. The bands playing has a loose, live feel which brings a good deal of energy to the songs. Lyrically, Seven Drinks Too Many seem to be clinging to their youthful idealism, though not without a healthy measure of self-doubt. Josh's singing is pretty harsh, but it serves the lyrics well given their generally angst-ridden nature. In keeping with the band's anarchic, anti-capitalist ideals, the CD is released with a copyright waiver printed right on the jacket, very much in the spirit of the Creative Commons movement. Musically speaking, it's apparent that Seven Drinks Too Many are still honing their compositional skills. Several of the tracks go on longer than they need too and a little more textural variety wouldn't hurt (though the latter may be more of a production issue). Fortunately the band is dynamic enough to minimize the effect of such minor deficiencies. Although Rebels, Romantics and Ghosts is certainly not for everyone, it definitely hits the spot from a punk perspective. Not necessarily "ready for prime time", but it is an excellent document of Seven Drinks Too Many at a crucial stage in their development. -SUBROSA MAGAZINE