7 AND 7 IS

----------- With their straight-up, soaring rock sound, 7 And 7 Is are an oddity on the quirky, proudly ragged Edmonton indie music landscape. I’m not a huge fan of this genre, but I can’t deny the sincerity and conviction they put into every song; they never sound clichéd, and Sean Foster’s distinctive vocals help them stand out from other U2-styled rock groups. They’re best known these days as the first band to tour Cuba, and after checking out videos of that tour, their music seems more affecting live than it does on disc — not that Spoils of the Empire isn’t a skillful, well-produced disc, but their mid-tempo dramatics make more sense in a concert setting. (Check out the new rockumentary Una Vez Por La Vida to see them in action, playing Fidel Castro’s home turf.)

Spoils opens with “Lower than Low,” a driving rock song full of well-placed handclaps, guitar solos, and Foster’s signature wail. It’s a good introduction to the band, but “Evil Dreams” cements things with synth-strings and electronics fleshing out a catchy, energetic melody. (“Clockwork” and “Brace Yourself” are two other standouts.) The album is certainly worth a listen for genre fans or those wondering about Edmonton’s varied indie scene, but their epic hi-fi sounds may keep indie purists and lo-fi diehards at arm’s length. SEE MAGAZINE