Five years ago, this seldomly known band put out a rocking cd on BYO Records. For some reason, they seemed like the black sheep on the hot punk rock label that was currently featuring the likes of the Bouncing Souls and Youth Brigade. Soon after though, they dissappeared off the punk rock radar faster than ska left commericial radio. I have no idea what occured in between, but somehow, someway, in the year 2000, we have been blessed with 10 new songs from this amazing band. When you come down to the core of this band’s sound, it is plain and simple, ROCK. Mid-tempo’d, snotty vocal’d, hooks galore, PUNK ROCK. Make that PUNK ROCK with really really good production. This first track, “Broken Record,” is easily the catchiest on here, and is virtually impossible to get out of your. With a thick-ass guitar sound, that bounces back and forth, and a pounding drum beat, this could easily become your next favorite song. And while the rest of this album never quites matches the intensity of the first track, there is an amazing element of flow contained wherein. Once each song ends, the next song seems to pick up right where the previous one left off. Everything about AUTOMATIC 7 makes me think of singing along in the crowd, covered in sweat, barely being able to stand up. This is the kind of music that runs through the blood. It’s not the fastest and it doesn’t have the huge mosh breakdowns, but it has style, and loads of it. My only complaint is the lyrics are a tad on the skimpy side – personal, but void of detail, but for some reason, each word seems to take on another 10 or so just from allusion. I’ll be cranking this puppy for awhile to come. AUTOMATIC 7 accomplishes more musically in 29 minutes than what a few other billion bands couldn’t do with all the time in the world – they ROCK.

Vagrant

www.vagrant.com