Geography And Famous Relatives Influence The 757’s
New CD is more “Runaway Train” than “Freight Train Blues”
The 757's
Freeway Surrender
Released on Sep 15, 2009
A true product of their surroundings, the influence of growing up in Minneapolis is apparent on the 757’s new release Freeway Surrender. At first listen you can’t help but immediately note the musical lineage that traces back to the Replacements and Soul Asylum.
Dig in deeper and you’ll
discover the influence isn’t just geographical, it’s familial. Bass
player Paul Pirner is the brother of Soul Asylum front man and Wynona Rider love interest, Dave Pirner. There is little doubt
Paul was hanging around the studio while big brother’s band was recording.
However, Pirner is not the only band member with famous relatives. Singer/guitarist Seth Zimmerman is the nephew of Robert Allan Zimmerman, better known as Bob Dylan. While Uncle Bob’s influence is much less evident on Freeway Surrender it does start to leak through on some of the later tracks like “Teenage Logic” and “Stagnation,” where the lyrics start to exhibit more depth.
Regardless of the band’s
various family ties, the other obvious influence on the sound of Freeway
Surrender is that of another Minneapolis product; the Replacements.
True to that lineage, the production on the CD is sparse and the sound
is a little thin. Of course the same could be said of early Replacements
music. An amazing and memorable live act, the Mats found recreating
that connection in the studio can prove tricky. It appears The 757’s
are not yet up to the challenge and the result is more likely to evoke
visions of bar bands than rock stars in listener’s minds.
True fans of this particular vein of alt-rock will immediately react to the 757’s catchy hooks and up-tempo music. Unfortunately, anyone who was less enthralled with Paul Westerberg will probably be left out in the cold on this particular release.
High Point
Catchy, bar bandish, reminiscent of The Replacements. What's not to love?
Low Point
Unfortunately, the appeal doesn't go much further than the above.
Posted by Mike Stern on Oct 15, 2009 @ 6:30 am
