I've been a fan of Seven Nations for years, and so, like many of us, I was sorry to hear that Neil Anderson had decided to move on to other things (although if you haven't checked out his latest solo, you should). What would become of the band that had been so consistently high on my list of favorites? Also like many, I speculated hopefully about what we could expect from the newest release. When any band that has a tight performing group changes the roster, it's easy to expect the worst (Genesis fans, I believe, were guilty of quite a lot of inaccurate doomsaying when Peter Gabriel left the band). However, 7N's latest, The Factory, has made it very clear that we can continue to expect what we have always expected from the group -- damn good music.

True, the sound has changed somewhat. Scratch that. The sound has evolved. Just as Aqualung marked the evolution of Jethro Tull from the part of a little known blues group to that of a major player in rock and roll back in '72, The Factory marks the beginning of a new era for this band. The addition of Dan Stacey and the fiddle (and if you've seen them in concert, the feet) throughout has added a dimension of depth to the music that was (I admit) a bit of a surprise, although a very welcome one for all that. And, happily, Scott Long on pipes not only does an excellent job filling some big shoes -- and I think perhaps his own pair have now won a place in the closet -- but his own texture of play nicely complements and cements a more mature sound for the group.

The lyrics remain well-fashioned and continue to conjure a sense of folk antiquity, but if anything they are more emotionally evocative than ever, with new material that makes old fans and new listeners alike whistle in the halls and belt out solos in traffic. The new mixture of sound and talent introduces a thoughtful, reminiscent quality to a lot of the original music on this album, as songs like Twelve and the acoustic reprise of This Season demonstrate. This does NOT mean, however, that any of the groove style and solid rhythm they've brought to the genre is lost -- you should lend an ear to The Factory's title track and The Ballad of Calvin Crozier a few times -- the 7N enthusiasm is very much in force.

Amazing Grace has never been so satisfying at 80 mph on the interstate, and that's a fact (or so I've heard -- everyone knows the speed limit is 70). Considering how short a time the group had been together prior to The Factory's release, it is an amazingly solid offering. Most importantly, though, the new mixture works, and it works well -- combine that with the fact that these guys obviously enjoy playing together, and you've got an album that's definitely worth special-ordering if you can't get it any other way. The bottom line? Lean back on your inflatable alligator and reach for the up control on the volume -- I think you're gonna like this one.

Discuss this topic