Customer Reviews

New Wind

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

 

 

"Thanks to U2 for inspiration"....that little sleeve note should serve as a red flag for all hardcore purists who stumble into this (and other mid-period 7 Seconds albums) expecting another The Crew. You ain't gonna get that here, kids, and chances are, you may hate what you do get.

Kevin later denied being influenced much by U2, but the vocals and arrangements here certainly indicate otherwise. Much of this bears more than a passing resemblence to Boy/October/War-era U2 with a slightly more pronounced pop sensibility, with the occasional trad loud-fast hardcore song ("Still Believe", "New Wind") thrown in for good measure.

That said, I find this album fascinating. New Wind is a true example of expanding the boundries of what hardcore can be. The juxtoposition of the fast/loud songs with the more mainstream sounding ones may seem weird (or may strike closed-minded HC purists as a <ahem> sellout). But then, when I first got this album at 16 years old, the fact that a member of a HC band was wearing a Slayer shirt on the inner sleeve seemed weird. But then that's what 7 Seconds is all about, and that's what makes them beautiful. Walk together, rock together indeed. 7 Seconds had something to teach us all.

Some of 7 Seconds' best songs are on here ("Still Believe", "Opinion Of Feelings", and the truly transcendent "The Night Away"), and the album only falls flat on its face once, on the closing "Colour Blind Jam", a badly execued rap/dub experiment.

If you can deal with this album (or heaven forbid, love it like I do), you should check out Kevin Seconds solo stuff (especially his album Stoudamire and the upcoming Heaven Is Wherever You Are), particularly if you enjoy artists like Ben Lee or Elliott Smith. Also recommended is Kevin's pop-punk outfit Go National.

I have been a big 7 Seconds fan since about 1986. One of my first shows a 7 Seconds and the Circle Jerks at City Gardens in 87. A lot of people are saying this is a lame album, or it doesnt sound the same as The Crew. What's the point of a band putting out the same record over and over? I have to admit, when I bought this album when it originally was released, I was a bit confused. And when Ourselves came out, I was convinced that they had "sold out". But Listen to some of the albums to follow, and you will see that they never lost their hardcore edge! Now that I am older ( a lot older) I can appreciate what the band was doing. This album is refreshing all these years later. Now I still love Skins, Brains and Guts, but I am not as closed minded now as I was as a 16 year old straight edge punk. I see this album for what it is...a "New Wind", and the chance for a hardcore band to show that they could do more than just play the same 3 chords over and over.

This is still my favourite 7 seconds album, even though they don't rock like in walk together, rock together, there is this weird positive vibe through the whole playing that really grabs you and the songs seem to flow easily, I just hate the last jamming song which makes no sense at all, but the rest is really good.

Well as in the other reviews i will start by making this clear this is a very different record to "the crew" or "walk together...". But neither is it a U2 record as some hardcore enthusiasts would have you believe, and in fact i doubt many of them have made it past the first track on this.

There is a definite new-wavish rock influence however the band didn't abandon their hardcore sound but mearly attempted to blend it in ("i guess the others turned their backs on what they now call..., it doesn't really matter cause its their words i forget"- i still believe)
they DID NOT abandon hardcore but mearly tried to expand it.
the record was recorded in two sessions the first (which admittedly most of my favourite tracks on the record are from)was recorded with Ian Mackaye in DC in 85, the second session (containing the tracks which called people to cry foul) recorded in April of the next year with a different line up.

The four tracks from the original session stand out though even these are not all straight up hardcore, grown apart for example reminds me more of the funk/punk sound of gang of four than 7 seconds hardcore peers(new wind and still believe are the only tracks which sound alot like their previous work).
The points on where this album is let down is the seeming "flatness" of the songs recorded in the second session, the tunes in generally seem delivered slightly uncomfortably and the vocals seem to struggle to make up for it, though these songs are not unlistenable they are a let down in comparison to the brilliance of some of the material on the album.
I would have been delighted to hear an expansion on the sound covered in grown apart (it is one of my favourite 7 seconds songs)...that said there is one moment in this album I cannot stand...colour blind jam...this odd electronic influenced song is an idea which perhaps once tried...but not realized would have left this album all the better, fortunately it is the last track and skipping does not disrupt the flow (it seems horribly out of place anyway).

this is not a bad album, just not a classic - 3.5*'s

hey all,

Hardcore pioneers, 7 Seconds got so much backlash after "New Wind" was released, and much of the criticism is un-warranted.

True, this album isn't fast, but Kev's lyrics are still a cut above the competition. There are some very important highlights on this album ("New Wind", "I Still Believe"), as well as some songs that aren't as successful. If H.C./Punk is about seeking a new direction and dismissing rules that don't make sense than how come 7 Seconds were under such heavy attack once they went in a different direction? I really don't think the backlash they got for "New Wind" was very fair. 7 Seconds have been together for 20 years (outlasting the majority of their peers) and even when their attempting something new they try their best. A Punk band that deserves some backlash? how about TSOL? one cannot forget their downward spiral to a Motley Crue type band! At least 7 Seconds were writing music they wholeheartedly believed in, instead of jumping on a trend.

"New Wind" had 7 Seconds experimenting with their creativity, and though not every track works, the ones that do continue to impact me.

This is classic 7 seconds. not as hard as "Walk together, Rock Together", but just as great. This is when the band started to get very melodic, but not sappy and preachy. I would greatly recommend this record to all seven seconds fans who have recently discovered the band, and haven't heard their earlier recordings. In my opinion, the best record they ever released...by far.

I don't know why this album gets such a bad rap. It flows well from song to song and it may not be fast but it is a great listen.
Put this album against any of the crap that is released today....Untouchable! Don't be close minded, this is a great album.

Like many hardcore bands that lasted more that a few years, 7 Seconds decided that they need to either change or they'd become stagnant. Now, I have no problem with bands that try experiment or expand their boundaries as long as they can pull it off effectively. However, 7 Seconds could just not do that. A word of warning to people who are fans of the "The Crew" and "Walk Together, Rock Together": you will not be getting more of the same on "New Wind". There are a few good songs that are in the hardcore vein of the groups previous albums, but mostly, what you get is weak, new wave-ish rock. The "thanks to U2 for inspiration" in the album credits should be clue to you all. Its not that I hate that sort of music or anything, and I think some of U2's stuff is really good, but 7 Seconds just is not that good doing that type of music. Kevin's got a decent voice but not too much range and the rest of the band just isn't very happening either. There are actually two different line-ups on this record, including one that is lacking drummer Troy Mowatt (I think that's the only time he didn't play on a 7 Seconds record since their early days). I guess there are a few fans of this record, but to me, this is just an example of another hardcore band that ran out of steam after a few good records.

Normally I would review an album in contrast to their other material and whether there's any sense of progression, but since the only other 7 Seconds I've heard is their cover of 99 Luftballons (and every punk and their teenybopper sister has heard that one), I can't really judge it like that. I'll just say that when compared to all the punk albums since this albums original release in 1986 (not 1991) 'New Wind' sounds rather bland and uninspired. Even I must admit that their songs can seem to be just...blah, but if you listen to the lyrics and the emotional power behind lead singer Kevin Second's voice you'll realize the potential and true talent of this band. Many of their lyrics, especially Man Enough to Care, ring true. If you enjoy a band like Fugazi, it is definitely recommended you check out 7 Seconds. (Quick note: Ian MacKaye provided backing vocals and produced a portion of this album)

this is a great album, it really does flow. i think you can tell the songs were written fast, like they discovered this new style and went with it. the last track seems out of place because it was never there, i bought the lp when it came out. they must have stuck it on a re-release. also the original cover was just a picture of steve youth's baby lying on a bed.5 stars