The 77's

Item: Tom Tom Blues
Author: Bob Melvin

Tom Tom Blues

(1995)

Reviewed by Bob Melvin

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Label Brainstorm ArtistsThe LighthouseDecember 1995

alternative rock blues rock hard rock

Tom Tom Blues, the latest offering from Mike Roe and his merry band of misfits (better known as the 77's-or the Seventy Sevens for the numerically impaired) opens in typical Roe fashion with the track "Rocks In Your Head:"

Let me make no bones about it You ain't jumpin' mine for free You play dirty, fine With your dirty little mind But I got bigger plans for me

"Rocks" firmly implants itself in the canon of Roe/77's songs about lost love and dealings with wayward women (see "Something's Holding On" from All Fall Down, "Happy Roy" from Pray Naked, "Go With God But Go" from Safe As Milk, and the list goes on...).

As Sevens albums go, Tom Tom Blues is decidedly-well-different. The record finds the band moving on from a major facelift: rhythm guitarist David Leonhardt has left, as well as MVP drummer Aaron (my buddies call me A-Train) Smith. So with a decision not to replace Leonhardt and the addition of Bruce Spencer behind the kit-who, incidentally, does a better job than I ever could have imagined-the Sevens are now a three-piece. Musically, the record is consistently edgier than anything Roe and company have ever done. Gone is the stylistic schizophrenia that defined and sometimes plagued other releases; this was especially evident in the nonetheless brilliant Drowning With Land In Sight, where more aggressive songs were interspersed with mellow alterna-pop and straight-up pop songs. Also gone is the alterna-pop sound, which had become a Sevens signature. The only track that comes close is the gorgeous ballad "Flowers In The Sand."

All of this is not to say that Tom Tom Blues is overly hard, though. The album takes a lot of risks, with bizarre sounds and styles, and a heavy dose of experimenting. A perfect example of this is "Earache," which gives Roe an outlet for his ever-present need to solo. He takes total control of the song, soloing the entire time (save for a brief bridge) over the solid foundation laid by Spencer and bassist Mark Harmon. The tune finds Roe in his best monster-movie voice, rambling about materialism, greed, and eternity ("If I lived dirty, why would I want to die clean...")-very intriguing stuff.

Songs like "Earache" and the almost jazz-fusionish "Outskirts," raise an interesting question: with the drastic lineup change, has Roe taken more control of the band, or has increased collaboration led to this strange new product? Regardless of the answer, Harmon has definitely been let loose. The long-time bass player absolutely shines on Tom Tom Blues, enough to take your attention from Roe for a while. That in itself is quite an accomplishment...

Other tracks worth checking out include the Zeppelin-esque swagger of "Honesty," which goes directly into the dark, brilliant "You Still Love Me." The low, swampy crawl of the song lends itself well to its bittersweet tale of love, longing, God, struggle, and healing. The effects-laden vocals and guitar add yet another dimension to an already spectacular musical experience.

Okay, here's the bottom line: through all the twists, turns, and musical back roads Tom Tom Blues takes, it gels better than any 77's album has in quite some time; yet the band still manages to put an indelible Sevens stamp on the music. This one is definitely a keeper.