There have been some great acoustic rock records in recent years. Live offerings by Seether, Nirvana, Alice in Chains and Sevendust come to mind. Sevendust's 2004 live CD/DVD Southside Doublewide Acoustic Live comes to mind for me because I was lucky enough to go to the Minneapolis date on that brief tour. When I first heard guitarist/vocalist Clint Lowery talk about the possibility of an acoustic studio record after a Sevendust show last July, I was intrigued by the possibility.
This past Tuesday, the guys just released Time Travelers & Bonfires, their 10th studio album and first acoustic-based studio disc. The album was funded by a Pledgemusic campaign online. Within 48 hours of the project being announced via Pledgemusic, the band topped their funding goal! I pledged for a signed copy of the album, but pledge items ranged from signed guitar picks to getting your name in the liner notes to dinners and exclusive intimate shows with the band.
The album kicks off with the catchy song "Come Down." The jangly guitars and backing keyboards hook you into the song. This leads into the song "Under It All," a softer ballad that is instantly singable. The third song "The Wait" was written about guitarist/singer John Connolly's dad passing away, and is a good ballad that reminded me of good friends and family who are no longer with us.
The remaining new songs "Upbeat Sugar," "One Life" and "Bonfire" are all incredibly catchy songs. I like the fact that this isn't a 100% acoustic album, and that the guys brought in a little electric guitar into some of these new tracks. "Bonfire" is a great jam that leads in to the second half of the album.
Before the recording began, the band asked fans which older songs they'd like to hear re-recorded acoustically. While the first half of Time Travelers is new songs, the second half is a half-dozen Sevendust classics re-recorded for this album. The second half kicks off with "Gone." A lesser known track from the album Seasons, this quickly became a favorite of mine. I prefer this version over the original one.
Following up is a slowed down version of "Denial," a great song on its own that I've heard live in concert several times. Slowing down songs like this one and "Crucified" were great ideas, because you can really take the time to understand the lyrics and the musical layers of each one.
"Trust" sounds a lot like the Southside Doublewide version, but that's a good thing. It's a great song that I found myself singing along to right away, a song that just grabs you from the first note and doesn't let go until the very end. I also enjoyed the newer stripped down versions of "Crucified" and "Karma."
The closing song is an all-acoustic version of "Black," the first song from Sevendust's debut album. Although they've played this songs thousands of times before, this version puts a refreshing, relaxing spin on a timeless classic. Great way to close out an admirable album!
I'd recommend this discc to anyone who's a Sevendust or hard rock/metal fan, as well as to those who enjoy a good acoustic rock album. That's all for now, next week I'll let you know how some of these songs sound live in concert after I see the guys in concert in Madison, WI. Until next time, have a good holiday weekend everyone!
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