Customer Reviews

At Sixes & Sevens

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The early 1990s saw the release of many classic "indie" and "alternative" rock albums. It seemed like the building momentum of the '80s post-punk underground scene, all of the great SST releases, the emergence of Sub Pop, the often [bad], but interesting Homestead Records bands... this whole broad spectrum of great underground rock music had become a tradition. And in the early 90s it all really seemed to come to fruition. Albums like Pavement's "Slanted and Enchanted" or Sebadoh's "Bakesale" represent a certain period for me. That music stood on the edge between what would become more mainstream rock, while having their feet planted firmly still in the underground. But you don't get any idea that the bands were conscious of any of this. It was just great distorted but highly catchy rock music. It's hard to explain, but there are so few artists today that still evoke that kind of sound. Most of the artists still around from those days kinda moved on to produce a lot of good records, but the raw immediate force of the older records was gone. Jason Loewenstein hasn't forgotten that sound though. He's still making it. And At Sixes and Sevens is just as raw and rocking as those old Sebadoh records, but with such better songwriting. Loewenstein has grown up in all the right ways in his music making, without the self-consciousness that often leads bands into over-producing and over-thinking themselves to the point where they lose some of the magic. Songs like "Circles", "Roswell to Jerusalem" and "Transform" need to be heard by anyone who fondly recalls those days in the early '90s when radio and tv still didn't know how to streamline "alternative" culture into a mass marketing scheme. Perhaps my review is simply meandering, but I think that some of you reading this might kinda get what I'm getting at. And if you like Jason's songs like "It's All You" or "Zone Doubt" on the last couple Sebadoh records, I don't think you'll be disappointed by this record. Another Louisville rock classic.

i have to say this is one of the best albums i have heard this year hosted buy ex sebadoh member jason lowenstein.an album recorded all alone in a basement with a 8 track recorder playing all the instruments himself.this guy has gottin better with age this is one of those albums that has no bad songs..all rocking all fun.even his voice is near perfection (i wonder if he quit smoking or something)also this album is definately in the same vein as any early sebadoh album the the better thing is that there is no lou barlow (the other sebadoh guy)songs to deal with all these songs completely go for it and make no room for the mellow drama that the last couple of sebadoh albums were known for.so if you like sebadoh albums like bubble and scrape and sebadoh 3 .this is not a album to miss out on .also he is touring this year so cheak out ... for all his tour dates! cool !

i had to at least leave a comment on this, and i never leave reviews. this album is great. i sought it out after getting hooked on sebadoh only in the last couple of years. I was around for the early 90's music era, not sure how i missed them. Anyway, big DJR fan as well, and lou barlow, but he left a little something to be desired on those last few sebadoh albums like another reviewer added. barlow went to "emoh" (i cant stand that record), lowenstein to at sixes and sevens. All I can say is if you like the jason written/singing tunes from sebadoh that carry that certain nervous anxiousness, not only in his voice but in the guitars, then you'll love this album.
Sure there are a few misses, IMO, like that Santana track, but take the good with the bad and buy this album now!