Whilst lacking the overblown pomposity of the 707 debut, ‘The Second Album’ is a hugely enjoyable album chock full of memorable hard rockin’ tunes which I return to on a regular basis.
Written by: King Of Sunset Town
ARTIST: 707
ALBUM: The Second Album
LABEL: Casablanca
SERIAL: NBLP 7248
YEAR: 1981
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA
LINEUP: Kevin Russell – guitars, vocals * Phil Bryant – bass, vocals * Jim McClarty – drums
Guests: Andy Celley – keyboards * Cherie Currie – backing vocals (‘Rockin’ Is Easy’) * Reed Kalling – backing vocals (‘City Life’)
TRACK LISTING: 01 Tonites’ Your Nite * 02 Millionaire * 03 Live With The Girl * 04 Strings Around My Heart * 05 Pressure Rise * 06 Rockin’ Is Easy * 07 City Life * 08 Live Without Her * 09 Love On The Run * 10 The Party’s Over
WEBLINKS: Wikipedia Page
Background
707’s single ‘I Could Be Good For You’ had been a minor hit, hovering around the fringes of the billboard top 40, though paradoxically the debut album had failed to chart.
With Duke McFadden’s subsequent departure from the band there was a modification in the band’s approach for the follow up, the unimaginatively titled ‘The second album’.
The Songs
Keyboardist Duke McFadden had been a pervasive influence on the debut, contributing to the majority of the songs. When the second album was recorded the band had streamlined down to a three-piece and straight ahead AOR ensued as a result.
Most of the songs weigh in around 4 minutes and this time there was no room for sprawling orchestrated epics like ‘Whole Lot Better’. Producer Jai Winding (Le Roux) managed to bring out the best in the band, in particular guitarist Kevin Russell was given ample opportunity to demonstrate his prowess on the guitar.
Whilst keyboards are ever present in the band’s sound they colour rather than dominate proceedings as had been case previously. For the second album 707 had decided that it should be a little less pomp and a lot more guitar.
There’s a definite Journey influence to the opening strains of upbeat rocker ‘Tonite’s Your Night’, ‘Millionaire’ on the other hand is heavy hitting, built around a stuttering guitar riff and underpinned by Jim McClarty’s rock solid drumbeat.
The lyrics regale the everyday struggles of a musician aiming a broadside at the rich who sit in their ivory towers e.g. ‘Give me credit where credit is due I still breathe the same air as you’ and ‘I get by on just minimum pay do you think you’ve got money to throw away?’.
‘Live With The Girl’ is very radio friendly with smooth harmonies embellished by Kevin Russell’s razor sharp guitar and synthesizer solo in the mid-section.
The single ‘Strings Around My Heart’ is superb hard edged pomp with chiming keyboards and yet more six string pyrotechnics from Kevin Russell.
The adrenalin charged ‘Pressure Rise’ bursts from the speakers with intent and closes side one with a flurry of guitar notes.
My favourite cut and side two opener ‘Rockin’ Is Easy’ (Don’t cha just love the title?) is the perfect antidote to the angst of modern life. e.g. ‘Some folks live their lives, but never enjoy it’ and ‘waste their money keeping up with the Joneses’, ‘all I wanna say is rockin’ is easy’.
The 707 philosophy is no nonsense and straight-forward and one that all middle-aged men should be prepared to embrace in order to help them cope with marital and parental responsibilities – perhaps then we would see divorce lawyers put out of business?
I ought to add that this is not my personal opinion or that of anyone affiliated to the Glory Daze site, just in case any lawyers are reading this.
‘City Life’ maintains the upbeat tone, whereas ‘Live Without Her’ is suitably melodramatic and would not have been out of place on the debut. Up tempo rocker ‘Love On The Run’ is about life on the road, which skilfully manages to side-step the usual lyrical cliches.
The quality dips slightly for album closer ‘The Party’s Over’ a sub-boogie romp that is salvaged from mediocrity by Kevin Russell’s six string antics.
In Summary
Whilst lacking the overblown pomposity of the 707 debut, ‘The Second Album’ is a hugely enjoyable album chock full of memorable hard rockin’ tunes which I return to on a regular basis.
However it would appear my opinion is at odds to those posted elsewhere on the internet, where incredibly ‘The second album’ has been described ‘as lacks some of energy and spirit of the group’s self-titled debut as the band delves into a more synthesized sound’ – go figure?..
707 on Video
Click to go to YTM album page.
