Customer Reviews

The Crew

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

7 Seconds were, along with Bad Religion, one of the originators of the "fast and melodic" format that harcore punk bands adopted in the early 90's (NOFX, Lag Wagon, Pennywise are some of the bands that adopted this style). "The Crew" must be the epitome of 7 Seconds "hardcore " era; the band plays at a furious thrash-like speed, but the vocal delivery always remains melodic without sounding sugary or happy go lucky (sorry, Simple Plan fans!). After this album, 7 Seconds started to "experiment" with their sound, drifting farther and farther away from their faster-than-thou sound and into a more "U2 on steroids" sound. Anyway, "The Crew" is an album that should stand side by side with other hardcore classics like MINOR THREAT, BAD BRAINS, AGNOSTIC FRONT, DRI and BLACK FLAG. The sound varies slightly from song to song (as if the band were trying to improve on the mix each time)but the overall sound is clear yet powerful. Troy's drumming, though simplistic, cuts through the songs like a hot knife and the rest of the instruments sound intense enough. The lyrics were a bit of a departure from what was going on with the hardcore scene in the mid 80's; the band sang about unity, tolerance and respect, instead of fearing nuclear warfare, which was the common thing to sing about."Here's your warning", "Definite choice", "Bully" and the heartfelt but tough-as-nails "Trust" are just some of the stand out tracks. This album, without a doubt in my mind, 7 SECONDS' finest moment, although newer releases such as "Good To Go" almost match this gem with its raw intensity!

I can't believe that I am the only one who gave this five stars. Whatever!

Talk about a good album. With most of the songs flying by so fast that they annoy the s**t out of people, the album is 24 for songs in exactly 30 minutes.

Besides hardcore punk music, the lyrics may hit with a larger range of fans. A lot more of a developed lyrical style, even mixing in rap freestyles to the mix, the album's words could make your mother even like this album.

So, if you love fast played punk with excellent lyrics, buy THE CREW!! Also, there are five great live tracks on this album, too!

I can't believe that I am the only one who gave this five stars. Whatever!

Talk about a good album. With most of the songs flying by so fast that they annoy the s**t out of people, the album is 24 for songs in exactly 30 minutes.

Besides hardcore punk music, the lyrics may hit with a larger range of fans. A lot more of a developed lyrical style, even mixing in rap freestyles to the mix, the album's words could make your mother even like this album.

So, if you love fast played punk with excellent lyrics, buy THE CREW!! Also, there are five great live tracks on this album, too!

The record was as described and the price was excellent.It did not take so long to recive either.A recommended seller.Thanx.

"Trust" (track 18) was, as far as I can tell, the first hardcore love song. (In fact, I'm hard pressed to think of any others.)

As a "sensitive, tortured" lyricist, Kevin Seconds came to fancy himself a peer of Ian MacKaye's (Minor Threat, Embrace, Fugazi)--and though he never succceeded--the songs on this album represent a signficant evolution from the group's inane Alternative Tentacles debut (which featured the classic "I Hate Sports").

I picked this album up after having listened to "Good to Go" about a million times. "The Crew" is great mid-80's hardcore. If you're into punk/hardcore, buy it today.

The good:
7 Seconds' brand of melodic hardcore still packs a punch after all these years. The lyrics show an infectious positivity that put them above some of their nihilistic peers. Songs like "Bully" and "Trust" show a surprisingly developed sense of melody that would inspire later bands like Bad Religion and Gorilla Biscuits. At 18 tracks (plus several bonus live cuts), there's more than enough great hardcore here to justify the cost.

The bad:
It's 80s hardcore punk, so naturally the songs tend to blend together on repeated listens. The lyrics can occaisonally meander into punk cliches and perhaps a bit too much immaturity for their own good. If you're just getting started in the world of hardcore punk, other releases by bands like Minor Threat and Bad Brains are far more essential than this.

Overall:
The Crew holds up surprisingly well more than two decades after its' initial recording. While it's not quite a hardcore classic, it's still a fast and fun album that's a perfect introduction to the band.

This is a great CD... if you are into the whole Straightedge punk scene go for this album. Contrary to Amazon's belief, it is not live. It does have a few live tracks but is mostly studio. Favorite song is "Trust." Great punk with a great message. 4 out of 5 'cause some of the songs sound almost alike. Still well worth the price!

ok, since the age of 9, I've grown up listening to 7 seconds. I still have, and listen to, the original tapes that I acquired over the years (old school, walk together rock together, new wind, and (most recently) alt.music.hardcore)...in my opinion, all of those albums are better than "the crew"...maybe at 22 I'm just so used to them sounding like they were recorded in someone's garage that this album seems to lack something in its sound. And as far as I'm concerned, the songs that appear on this album that were also on the others I named above, sound much better on those other albums than on this one. Overall, this isn't a terrible album and does have some great songs that don't appear on those other albums such as "Not just boys fun", "Bully", and "Trust"...the live tracks, however, were very unimpressive. Anyways, thats my opinion.