7% Solution Albums (2)
What The Critics Say
The band claims that the inspiration for this album came from the legendary poet Anne Sexton--the shared sense of melancholy seems evident. To say that Gabriel's Waltz manifests itself into anything that conjures up the spirit of a waltz seems to be a stretch: perhaps cosmic waltzes. Utilizing dissonant wind chimes and sampled dialogue loops, these haunting tools simultaneously distance and comfort the listener. All of these elements culminate into the transmuted, undulating sounds of an exalted atmosphere full of contemplative reasoning and wonderful fantasy. When you combine all of these special effects with the superb drums and blasting guitar riffs, you receive the new sound of Seven Percent Solution on Gabriel's Waltz. The appropriately titled "Bruise" is a good example of the driving energy and the mutating pace that will consume the listener. "Lullaby" descends into a warmer place as Reese Beeman's elegant poetry soothes the soul stricken. Imagine Jeff Buckley singing for Mogwai; it's admittedly an odd combination -- a flattering one at that -- but it isn't too far off. Their sound hits you in waves; at first you're overcome by the somewhat chaotic swings of the guitar, but then you'll gently recede under the tide of the confident drums and the bitter sweet vocals. ~ Gregg Rounds, All Music Guide
'All About Satellites and Spaceships'
Release Date 3/12/1996
Tracks 11
Label X-Ray Records
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
With its layering of guitar drifts, vocal delay, and voice samples that can rival early Verve, it's quite impressive that All About Satellites and Spaceships was recorded without the aid of an expensive recording studio or major record label. Besides its obvious love for minimalism, Seven Percent Solution's specialty is its ability to transcend a quiet verse into a passionate chorus. The whispery vocals often get swept up into the current, but always sound comfortable among the sounds of confusion. Toward the middle of the record (namely the psychedelic "Your Kingdom, Your World"), All About reaches a zenith, as guitar notes sound like transmissions from another galaxy. And just when you think the band has had its last breath, it comes back for yet another five-minute journey into pure space rock bliss. ~ Kenyon Hopkin, All Music Guide
