Co-produced by Fugazi’s fussy-britched Ian MacKaye, New Wind took 7 Seconds’ hardcore skate-punk sound and made it more “accessible”–not in a “man, my kid sister likes that new 7 Seconds ballad” kind of way, but more in a “they have melodies when they scream now!” sort of way. Two other fun facts about this 1986 classic: It features a liner-notes shout-out to U2 (”for years of inspiration”), and it ends with “Colour Blind Jam,” a lengthy funk-ish number that’s even worse than its title implies:
7 Seconds - The Night Away [MP3, link expired]
7 Seconds - Somebody Help Me Scream [MP3, link expired]
I believe the joke at the time was that Kevin was thinking of changing the band’s name to “ME2″…
…..I like the chorus-ey guitar sound. Not bad at all!
This has aged well. It’s still not The Crew or Walk Together, Rock Together, but light years better than the u2′d Soulforce Revolution and Ourselves. I interviewed Troy (drums) and Bobby (guitar) for my college radio station in 1989. Bobby Adams was completely obsessed with U2 and Midnight Oil. He had nothing good to say about 7 seconds hardcore punk past. A few years later I was laughing my ass off when in the liner notes for Out the Shizzy he thanked Biohazard and all these other hardcore bands for their inspiration (unless I am remembering incorrectly). Regardless, when it was just kevin, troy, and steve they were great no matter what their records sounded like.
I actually think ‘Ourselves’ was alright. ‘Soulforce Revolution,’ though? That shit was hella granola.
Ugh. Maybe I’m too much of a purist, but I tried to forget that this, Ourselves, and Soulforce Revolution existed. Thanks for reminding me.
But since Kevin has reopened True Love Coffeehouse here in Sacramento and I can get a peanut butter mocha again, all is forgiven.
Ugh. My wife and I listened to this just a year or two ago, and we both agreed that it dated horribly. I respect Kevin and crew’s attempt to add pop hooks/songwriting to the mix, but god, hardcore doesn’t get any smarmier than “Opinion of Feelings” or “Calender” (sic). This is what would have happened if Ian quit Minor Threat and the rest of the band really did start to sound like U2 in his absence (which is ironic, since he produced it). And have I made fun of the album title yet?