Seven Nines and Tens

Har-har, was für eine markige Überschrift, und aufgrund ihrer militärischen Bedeutung eigentlich völlig unpassend für Musik – aber hey, das ist Sprache, das ist Metaphorik, und in punkto ‘Spektrum’ kann man den Kanadiern von SEVEN NINES AND TENS wirklich nichts vormachen. An fast jeder Ecke wird man hier als Hörer eines Besseren belehrt, weil Erwartungen immer trügerisch sein können. Was erwartet man z. B. von Post-rockenden Bands? Und was von solchen, die gern noch eine große Schippe harte, metallische Riffs obendrauf packt?

Das Trio (das nach mehr als nur drei Leuten klingt) steigt ziemlich heftig ein, womöglich um gleich präventiv mit der ewig gleichen Weichspülerei aufzuräumen, der leider so viele Post-Rock-Bands frönen. Instrumentale Klangteppiche mit immer wiederkehrender Melancholiefärbung wie Sand am Meer, so dass Unterschiede oft kaum noch feststellbar sind. Nicht so auf “Habitat 67?, einem Album, was zweifelsohne dem unüberschaubaren Genre Post-Rock zuzuordnen ist, aber sich genauso gut im Post-Metal wohlfühlt. Und für alles, was dazwischenliegt, bis hin zu jazzigen Anflügen und Sludge-Ausbrüchen, haben die Kanadier ein offenes Ohr.

Dass man sich bisweilen ganz un-selbstreflektierend gibt, beweisen so schöne Songs wie “Microchasm”, einem kernigen Rocker mit gelungener Bassarbeit, ganz unkompliziert und frei von Definitionsgrenzen. Sie könnten das Schema noch mit Gesang durchbrechen, aber selbst als Instrumentalband zeigt sich die Band extrem vielseitig und virtuos, so wie im eindrucksvollen “Saga Of Butyric Fermentation”. Genau das meinte ich mit dem vollen Spektrum. Bis dahin haben uns die drei Musiker immer wieder kleine Überraschungen geliefert, und auch bis zum Ende lassen sie nicht nach. Die gesamte Klaviatur instrumentaler Rockmusik wird bedient, sehr schön auch emotionale wie in der sympathischen Huldigung an Schauspielerin Famke “X-Frau” Janssen. Ob dicke Hose, Klangfarben, Atmosphäre oder einfach nur rein emotionale, ausladende Momente – nichts scheint ihnen fremd, und nichts erscheint ihnen leichter, als diese doch sehr unterschiedlichen Stimmungen unter einem Dach zu vereinen.

Wenn man als Hörer sich zwischendurch plötzlich fragt, ob man eigentlich immer noch das gleiche Album von der gleichen Band hört, dann ist das genau der Eindruck, den die Band als Kompliment verstehen kann. Von Vorhersehbarkeit keine Spur, und ein Album, welches auch nach mehreren Durchläufen keine Konditionsschwächen erkennen lässt. - Mescaline Injection

With their latest release, Habitat 67, Seven Nines and Tens offer a visceral fusion of progressive metal and ethereal space rock, and the amount of innovation and talent that this four-piece brings to their compositions is simply staggering.

To call their riffs titanic would be an understatement. The closing passage of “Crystalline Xanthine Alkaloid” threatens to crush the unprepared listener under its sheer colossal heaviness. However, the album finds its dynamics with songs like, “I Grow Tired,” the most melodic track on the record, which reminds me of Porcupine Tree, with its great sense of quiet/loud dynamics that accompany its winding, intertwining soft passages.

The group keep things interesting by occasionally trading off their heaviness for more subtle jazzy jams, like “Retrograde Orbit,” and by utilizing their great ear for dynamics to mix in gentle, almost soothing, shoegaze inspired guitar-work within their brutal, sonic heaviness.

The addition of keyboards also deserves notice as it adds immensely to the intergalactic atmosphere of the album, providing an ambient yet simultaneously melodic backdrop for the group’s twin guitar attack.

Habitat 67 is eclectic, challenging and at times and strikingly beautiful. With this latest effort, Seven Nines and Tens prove without a doubt, that they are a force to be reckoned with, in this, or any other galaxy.

- Discorder.ca

The Patience Product has been on a long journey from front man Justin’s guitar beginnings to today’s band recordings. The best description is “Change of Heart, Change of Tune,” which is the title for their album and a song. Never considering his acoustic and recording skills as anything more than a hobby, it was the abrupt end of a four-year relationship of Justin’s that was the final push towards a more serious band outlook. In fact, “the punk-emo sound meshed with sad acoustic folk songs adds a certain edge to what can be called pop music, but is more appropriately classified as alternative.” This creative blend of styles put a new spin on bittersweet love songs, and The Patience Product has whittled their sound over the years to something they can truly own. Of their live performance, their final three songs were the best. Their music is emo, but not too bitter to be enjoyable. Because when it comes to love, nothing is a off-putting as bitterness.

My latest and potentially greatest new music discovery is progressive rock band Seven Nines and Tens. Instrumental music can be hard to connect with, and some instrumental bands are even borderline pretentious. Not so with Seven Nines and Tens. Genuinely in love with the sound of their own instruments, these four guys bring so much talent to the stage that it is almost overwhelming. Their second-last song is called ”Spike Island.” It is awesome. The last song is also good. It is unfortunate that they are still in the midst of recording, because I need more Seven Nines and Tens.

Their music is trippy, ethereal instrumental prog-rock, and I can’t get enough of it. If you love Godspeed You! Black Emperor, or Mogwai, or Explosions in the Sky, you will find much to appreciate in this hard-core rock version of your favourite instrumental bands. I think their last song was called “Spank Me Jensen,” but something tells me that is incorrect. Their lyrical content consists of some sporadic yelling, and completely random phrases at completely random times. The drumming is complicated and specific, and the bass playing is incredibly precise and intense. One wonders if Seven Nines and Tens needed to secure degrees in rock(et) science to become this good. I am intrigued and excited about this band, so stay tuned for an interview in the coming weeks. Check out their upcoming shows as they attempt to take Vancouver by storm.


Colin Skrapek of Maybe Smith Happy and light, Maybe Smith’s solid songs are sure to turn any frown upside down. Driving beats and compelling lyrics equal a great time at a live performance. Maybe Smith is less obscure than Spookey Ruben, but has that fun-loving quality that is often featured in the soundtracks of animated films. Featuring both a drummer and a percussionist, as well as background harmonzing and humming by the percussionist and the bass player, Maybe Smith may be the creation of the lead singer, but the whole is much greater than the sum of its parts. Their camaraderie is clear when they mock each other mid-song about keeping time. Forced to vacate the stage by midnight, they plough through their set list, so you know you’re getting the orange juice without the pulp (for those pulp-lovers out there, please excuse the metaphor). They play a really great song about drowning in the river. “I’ve thought my way out of happiness a million times, but I’ve never thought my way into it.” But you don’t need to think your way into liking Maybe Smith. You just do. See if you can catch them in concert as they work their way back across Western Canada.
- www.backstagevancouver.com

9 August 2009 at RedxRed

I first heard Katastroyka the night before, when they opened for Adjective at the Rickshaw Theatre. While that evening didn’t go down as smooth as I’d like, this performance in a vodka bar on Granville was a redemption. The sound check was a little rough, but only because the “stage” is really just a nook in the wall. It may be a cranny, please correct me on this, but it was barely large enough to contain the band members, let alone their instruments. I’m not as familiar with Katastroyka’s tunes as I’d like to be, but my favourite songs were their second and last ones. Jason Allum’s bass playing on the second song reminded me a little of Death Cab For Cutie, but Katastroyka’s influences are centred around destruction. They make up for a lack of drummer with beat tracks on their laptop, and their dedication to music is seen in their belonging to multiple bands. Lead singer Ryan Riot is also the lead singer of Adjective, and guitarist Dave Cotton is in both The Ludvico Treatment and Seven Nines and Tens, two of my favourite local bands.

My intense love for post- and prog rock is what fuels my love of local band Seven Nines and Tens. Despite broadcasting an SOS on Twitter (drummer Earl Heath tends to wear shorts on stage), I don’t need saving from a Seven Nines and Tens performance. Despite playing a rather short set list of only six songs, the guys made them count. Their set list includes “A Concept Record,” “Castles on St. Clare Beach,” and “Spike Island” (soon to be added to their MySpace). My favourite listening can be found in the interludes of Seven Nines and Tens songs. In particular, the interlude towards the end of “Spike Island” features a solo by guitarist Dave Cotton, later joined by Aylon Cohen on bass, and accompanied by electronic fairy dust from drummer Earl Heath. Another song actually contains lyrics, a direction Seven Nines and Tens intend to explore despite the fact that prog rock is typically instrumental. Part of the atypical nature of the band, the lyrics of this particular number are actually a poem by ee cummings, brought to life by Aylon’s loud recitation over the music.

Girlfriends and Boyfriends are a new favourite of mine, matching the rather quirky vibe I’ve only found in Lengthy List of Lovers. Their songs are mainly about the tragic, often inevitable end of many relationships: being dumped. Grant plays the bass and keys (but not at the same time), Pete plays three different guitars (but not at the same time), and Arun plays the drums (all at the same time). Grant claims to have been dumped on Facebook, and another song is about Pete being dumped and then going to England (which results in a fun dance-or-at-least-squirm-in-your-chair number).

I’d highly recommend Girlfriends and Boyfriends to anyone who enjoys a fun night out. Don’t despair if you missed this show; you can see Girlfriends and Boyfriends when they headline a show at The Media Club, opened by Katastroyka and another of my favourite bands, The Ludvico Treatment. Keep up with the Backstage Vancouver calendar to see what other local bands we recommend.
- www.backstagevancouver.com