At a time when teen pop fluff ruled the airwaves and one-trick pony nu-metal was wrongly seen as a sort of savior of rock, British band
Six by Seven released a dark, atmospheric album of raging guitars and emotional songwriting.
The Things We Make is a passionate rock album that calls to mind both the moody music of
Pink Floyd and the artistry and melodic sense of
the Velvet Underground. Through ten songs, the band displays a complex matrix of inspirations; "European Me," for instance, sounds like a collaboration between
Joy Division and
Bardo Pond. "For You" speeds along like a
U2 anthem infused with the abstraction of
Radiohead. The songs are as personal as they are aggressive, and the combination makes for some truly exhilarating moments. Fuzzy, distorted guitars buzz throughout the album, creating a cool, modern psychedelic feel not dissimilar to that of
Clinic's masterpiece
Internal Wrangler. One gets the sense that the album might be a lost classic, stored away in
Roger Waters' attic. It's virtually impossible not to be caught up in the decadent power of "Brilliantly Cute," which sees the band building a waterfall of cascading drums and ringing bass guitar. When the band plays at its cohesive peak, which it does on nearly every song here,
Six by Seven suggests an accomplished, emotional counterpoint to
Death in Vegas' The Contino Sessions. "88-92-96" perhaps best displays the
Pink Floyd influence. The song is a mini-epic of pessimistic vocals and sonic textures. Chris Olley effects an almost note-perfect
Waters tone midway through the song, and the band builds tension through wailing guitars. It's quite clear that the members of
Six by Seven took their time to perfect the songs on
The Things We Make. Their dedication, their attitude, and their sonic attack all derive from the band's intensity and focus.
The Things We Make rocks harder, and with more style, than most albums of its time. ~ Tim DiGravina