We don’t have many rules here at Atlanta’s A-List. If you’ve been reading for a while you figured that out already (but somebody might be new here). One rule we do have, being the neophyte blog we are, is that anybody who hands us an actual, physical, pressed into vinyl, record (or book for that matter – though the pressed into vinyl part is less important then), we will review it. We even have a post office box for that very purpose. Send that stuff to Atlanta’s A-List, P.O. Box 2613, Decatur, Georgia 30031.
You were expecting a review? Oh yeah. So when somebody places a record in our hands with the general suggestion that we listen to it and the specific knowledge that we have this little blog habit, we’re gonna follow our one and only real rule and we’re gonna review that sucker. That’s what we’re about to do…really.
If you haven’t guessed by the header yet (you were really bad at 20 questions in college, we’re you?), somebody from The Seventh Ring of Saturn handed us a vinyl copy of their self-titled 2007 full length.
The first track, “In Time,” is thematically, if not sonically, reminiscent of Jay Mascis’ “Almost Ready”. Like that tune, it contemplates the pace and discovery of life from the perspective of somebody who may have been around the block more than once – “it’s okay/you may lose yourself/and find yourself in time.” Pretty compelling stuff for somebody who is turning the last corner on that first block.
Keep in mind, it doesn’t sound like Dinosaur, Jr. at all. This record was dedicated George Harrison and for good reason. If the 60s melodies of the first track aren’t enough to make that clear, then the sitar at the opening of track two, “Colonel Green” cinches it. Of course, the cover of the fairly obscure 1968 Harrison single, “Sour Milk Sea” was a fairly obvious give away too. In total, the first half of this record is very listenable for somebody who might have 30 year old pressings of Donovan’s Greatest Hits or Vanilla Fudge in their record collection. Also good if you like the Harrisonesque single from Wilco’s latest – “You Never Know.”
Ted Selke’s vocals on “In Time” and “Sour Milk Sea” are highlights of the record and Messrs Beckner and Bryant fill the front half with some nice guitar work. Here’s where the record disappoints though (erstwhile submitters take note, we can’t love everything). While we love gate fold LPs and the art of illustration (it’s most of what hangs on our walls). We really don’t love the gate fold on this record. Partially because it doesn’t tell us much about the music, but mostly because it features a distractingly poor illustration. It’s not the content of the drawing that bothers us, it’s the execution – which is not so good. It’s an amateurish flourish on a record that performs otherwise on the turntable.
This is all we’ve heard from these guys (well, ‘cept for their 2009 slot at 500 Songs for Kids) but on the whole, we’d be happy to check them out live (or hear what else they’ve put on vinyl). When we do, we hope they stick to the AOR friendly songs we liked on side one and spend less time with the extended pseudo-psychedelic prog rock we found on the second side of this record.
Figure it out for yourself. Copies of The Seventh Ring of Saturn are available on vinyl and CD at Circle Sky Records. You can also check them out live, Saturday afternoon, October 10, at the Candler Park Fall Fest.
