# Seven Souls

Professional ratings :
| Review scores ||
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic | |
| Spin Alternative Record Guide | 6/10 |
Seven Souls is a 1989 album by the American music group Material. A collaboration with author William S. Burroughs, the album features his narration of passages from his novel The Western Lands (1987) set to musical accompaniment.
The album was re-released in 1997 with bonus tracks, three re-mixes that were added to the beginning of the album. In 1998, a new title, The Road to the Western Lands, was issued, composed of new mixes of the tracks.
"Equation" / "Ineffect" was released as a single in 1989 (Virgin America, PR 3380).

## Track listing

* "Ineffect" (Bill Laswell, Nicky Skopelitis, William S. Burroughs, Simon Shaheen) – 7:34
* "Seven Souls" (Laswell, Burroughs) – 5:42
* "Soul Killer" (Laswell, Burroughs) – 4:32
* "The Western Lands" (Laswell, Skopelitis, Burroughs) – 6:54
* "Deliver" (Laswell, Skopelitis, Foday Musa Suso) – 5:48
* "Equation" (Laswell, Skopelitis, Rammellzee) – 5:06
* "The End of Words" (Laswell, Burroughs) – 5:06

### Seven Souls (Remix)

* "The Western Lands" [a Dangerous Road Mix] (Laswell, Burroughs) – 8:31
* "Seven Souls" [Tim Simenon Mix] (Tim Simenon, Burroughs) – 7:06
* "Soul Killer" [Remote Control Mix by Terre Thaemlitz] (Terre Thaemlitz, Burroughs) – 8:15
The rest of the album as per the original release

### The Road to the Western Lands

* Bill Laswell – "The Seven Souls" (Burroughs, Laswell) – 5:47
* Talvin Singh – "The Western Lands" (Burroughs, Talvin Singh) 6:36
* DJ Soul Slinger – "The Western Lands" (Burroughs, DJ Soul Slinger) 5:09
* Spring Heel Jack – "The Road to the Western Lands" (Burroughs, John Coxon, Ashley Wales) 6:17
* The Audio Janitor (DJ Olive) – "Joan's Haunted Hints at the Gate to the Western Lands" (Burroughs, DJ Olive) 6:37
* Bill Laswell – "Seven Souls" [The Secret Name] (Burroughs, Laswell) 10:37
* Material – "The Western Lands" [A Dangerous Road Mix] (Burroughs, Laswell) – 8:31

## Personnel

Material
* Bill Laswell – 4, 6 and 8-string basses, acoustic guitar, tapes, percussion
Additional personnel
* William S. Burroughs – voice
* Rammellzee – voice ("Equation")
* Foday Musa Suso – voice ("Deliver")
* Fahiem Dandan – voice ("Ineffect")
* Nicky Skopelitis – 6 and 12 string guitars, baglama, coral sitar, saz, Fairlight CMI
* Simon Shaheen – violin
* L. Shankar – violin
* Jeff Bova – electronic keyboards
* Sly Dunbar – drums, Fairlight
* Aïyb Dieng – percussion
"The Western Lands" [a Dangerous Road Mix]
* Jah Wobble – bass
* Bill Laswell – bass samples
* Nicky Skopelitis – guitar
* Tetsu Inoue – electronics
* DJ Spooky – noise
"The Seven Souls" [The Secret Name]
* Alicia Renee aka Blue Eyes: vocals
* Nicky Skopelitis: guitar
* Bill Laswell: bass, keyboards, turntable

### Production

* Recorded at Platinum Island Studio and BC Studio, New York.
* Produced by Bill Laswell / Material.

## Release history

* Seven Souls – 1989 – Virgin, CDV 2596 (CD)
* Seven Souls (Remix) – 1997 – Triloka Records, 314 534 905-2 (CD)
* The Road to the Western Lands – 1998 – Triloka / Mercury, 314 558 021-2 (2x 12" / CD)

## In popular culture

The track "Seven Souls" is featured in the opening scene and in the closing credits of The Sopranos Season 6 episode, "Members Only".