Area 7 - Say It To My Face
www.area7.com.au

It's an Area 7 album. I'm sure that's got a lot of you running, but those that stick around will be pleasantly surprised.

Admittedly, originality is not something that I really expect from the Seven's. Madness inspired ska-pop is still their forte, but that's not all this album has to offer.

To start up, the album brings out the incredibly catchy lines of the radio hit Leave Me Alone. I think it's really good that they utilise the keys on this, it always seems like the organ is the neglected punk instrument.

It's not until track three (Can't Be Happy) that Area 7 start to reveal their changing sound. Can't Be Happy is ska with a powerful swing over-tone. Not everybody's cup of tea, but it's a great mood song and really complements the rest of the album.

More Area 7 ska punk follows (including the airwave hog Individuality), before the suprisingly catchy reggae number History Is Written. You wouldn't think that Stevo's voice would lend itself too well to reggae, but it really seems to work. If you were a fan of the track Blind (from their previous release Bitter & Twisted), you'll get a kick out of this one. A great song the whole way through, especially the keys towards the end. Awesome.

The next track, Liar, is a good example of the strong Madness influence the band has always had. If you like the old pop-ska sound, you'll enjoy it a lot. Fast vocals on a medium tempo song are quite a difficult feat to pull off, but the band pulls it off perfectly.

I'm trying not to describe every track on the album, but I have to give Nobody Likes A Bogan a mention. It's a catchy track that reminds me of No Logic to some extent... can't figure out quite why. The lyrics are quite amusing and if you're from a bogan town like I am, you'll appreciate it.

Another stand out is the dark number Consequences. A very angry mix of ska and heavier music. Smooth changeovers and great contrast... woo-yeah!

I often judge an album by how it is finished off and Area 7 have this down to a tee. From the catchy third-wave hooks of JJ, to the jazzy tune that is Kicks. It's one of those songs you can't just sit around for... wow, I wish there were more songs like this.

Verdict: Although it wont appeal to everybody, I recommend giving it a listen, you might be presently suprised.

Jake Downunder