Sev7en
SEV7ENis the second release by Exene Cervenka & the Original Sinners. Recorded in the summer of 2005, this follow-up to the Sinners' self-titled debut of 2002 heralds significant changes in terms of personnel. Guitarist Jason Edge, a key contributor to the Sinners' debut, is still on board--he co-wrote four tunes on the new album with Exene, and continues to provide backing vocals. Other than Jason, however, the band onSEV7ENis entirely new, and features Chris Powers on bass, guitarist Dan Sabella, and Kevin O'Conner on drums. The trio are moonlighting from their longtime day job as The 7 Shot Screamers (hence, the title of this record), a roaring outfit based in St. Louis, Missouri. The Screamers are a phenomenally tight band and they're perfect traveling partners for Exene in terms of the direction she's taking her music."I'm kind of in my Chuck Berry phase in that I could pick up four musicians anywhere to back me up, but there’s nothing like having a real band," she observes. "These guys can play everything from rockabilly to glam, and the fact that they're so flexible and skilled has allowed me to work in a more free-form way--the vocals on the song called 'Sky Blue Pink' are a good example of what I mean by this. That’s the direction we're moving in, and I think the next record's going to be completely out there." Of the songs on the new album, Exene says "I'll always write sad love songs because those are the songs that move me the most, but my life is really great now so I don't feel like writing them at the moment. But there's plenty of bad stuff in my past I can draw on if I ever need to come up with one of those songs."Several songs onSEV7ENare indicative of the peace that's crept into Exene's life--"Last Dance," "Tavern," and "Good at Being Bad" certainly do--but there's a generous helping of anger and grief on the album, too. "Long Distance" is a mournful reflection on the loss of beloved friends, while "Down Where It's Down" and "Lonesome War" have the fury and sadness of vintage X. The cherry on the sundae is a cover of "Ghost on the Highway," one of many brilliant compositions by Jeffrey Lee Pierce, of the late, great L.A. band the Gun Club. Exene's a girl who never forgets her roots, friends, or influences.