Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

Taking its title from an Allen Ginsberg poem, it was clear right from the beginning that the 77s were a different kind of band. Intelligent Christian rock anybody? Certainly fitting into an indie jangling new wave slot, the band's debut album from 1983 earned them an appearance at Greenbelt in that year. While these days Mike Roe, the band's leader, has earned a reputation through the longevity of the band's career and his work with The Lost Dogs, it's a revelation to remember how it all started. From the intelligent opener "Different Kind Of Life" written by Steve Scott through to the closing cover version of Washington Phillips' "Denomination Blues", this still holds up as a pretty stunning introduction. Highlights include the straight forward rocking "How Can You Love" and the haunting "It's So Sad" which pointed towards future 77s recordings. Songs like "Someone New" and "Renaissance Man" were always fan favourites and still sound fresh here! The band have endured for a quarter of a century by continuing to re-invent themselves and make interesting music, and it all started here.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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