Description
Seven Mary Three’s rock-radio hits have marked them, somewhat inaccurately, as a mainstream rock band. That said, there’s certainly an appealing commercial element to many of Jason Ross’s songs. Check out the lilting wonder in “Wait,” “Tug,” and “Man in Control,” which are balanced by the Replacements-like “Faster,” the bar-band brassiness of “First Time Believers” and the indie-rock of “Steal a Car.” For additional delightful surprises there’s the rollicking kick-off track, “Sleepwalking” (think Jim Carroll crossed with Iggy Pop) and the edgy rave-up “Breakdown,” with its nod to “Helter Skelter.” Ross’s lyrics are intelligent, introspective, and provocative, while the music is diverse, crafted, and heartfelt. Seven Mary Three have a rough time bridging the gap between media perceptions and the reality of the band, and this eclectic, wonderful record won’t solve that dilemma. Nonetheless, The Economy of Sound is a gem that deserves to be heard and appreciated, not pigeonholed and overanalyzed. –Katherine Turman
