| CD REVIEW 7 Weeks |
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Band : 7 Weeks What's with all those Stoner releases I've been getting on my work-load lately? You know, we actually have a “specialist” in this genre, and where the unknown band might occasionally slip by his attention (even “specialists” can't be expected to know every band that falls within their “realm” these days), I'm kinda baffled when he overlooks a band on this Belgian Stoner specialist label. Not that I'm complaining mind you! Not so long ago, I already came across this Head Records compilation titled Psychotics Reactions (review was double-posted on 15 and 26 November of last) with a shit-load of French Stoner bands, but Limoges based 7 Weeks (Limoges is situated smack in the middle of France, West from the Central Massif mountain range) were not on that one! Inspired by Post-Grunge, Heavy Rock and Stoner, 7 Weeks were formed in April 2006, and spent the first 3 years of their existence forging their own heavy sound, the evolution of which was portrayed on a preceding demo and 2007's EP (titled B(l)ack Days) and some 90 shows since Nov. 25, 2006 (hey man, my birthday!). Live highlights include support slots to Brant Bjork & The Bros and Mass Hysteria in late 2008 (separate gigs), The Datsuns and Inspector Cluzo (again separate occasions, in March '09), Placebo and Arctic Monkeys (at the Czech Hradec Kralove festival, also known as Rock For People, in July '09), and more recently for Suicidal Tendencies and Infectious Grooves (March 2010), while also putting in some attendances at some of France's festivals (including 2009's Printemps de Bourges). Listed as a trio of lead singer/ bassist Julien Bernard, drummer Jeremy Cartin, and guitarist Philippe Blanchard on the album, the guys apparently perform as a quartet with the aid of rhythm guitarist Florian Compain. For the recordings of the album the core trio traveled to Paris, and to the studio of befriended bands Destruction Inc. and Lofofora, where Shanka (ex-Lycosia and No One Is Innocent) and Bastien Burger (ex-Madjik and Blackstrobe) not only engineered and produced the album, but also added to it, respectively by the adding sitar to the end of the song “Whisper (And Dig The Ground)” (took me a while to find that out) and by adding programming & additional sounds to “Submarine” and “The Wait” (those are not so easy to discern). While the band certainly does not disdain to have a “calmer” moment with the latter two mentioned songs (especially the first one), their music can overall be seen as a “Wall Of Sound” and, surprise, surprise : more than adequate English vocals (not that in the latter years there haven't been more decent French bands with songs done in English, but the days when French bands were usually laced with rather accented English language are not really thàt far ago)! By all means, don't believe me at m word, but convince yourself by checking out the 3 songs posted at myspace.com/7weeksmusic. Hey, just found out the band's playing in La Louvière (Belgian town between Mons and Charleroi) on December 16 (at the Taverne du Théatre)...maybe something for those among you who prefer to test bands in live conditions? 89/100 Tony. |
