The year was 1986 when I discovered the music of 7 Seconds. I picked up the album New Wind at the now defunct My Generation in Bay Village. It was just this great record of accessible punk rock that was melodic without some of the in your face hardcore acts at the time. Something stuck with me with that record as they remain to be one of my favorite bands of all time. Kevin Seconds has released multiple records with the band, side projects and solo over the last 2 decades plus. Every once in a while 7 Seconds would come back to Cleveland and I would go see them multiple times over the course of the last 25 years. If you told me Kevin Seconds would consider you a friend because of social media a few years back I would of said yeah whatever, and then say what the fuck is social media.
I remember one of the first contacts I had with Kevin was when he said hey fans, send me a self portrait photo and I will use it on my new record cover. Well, kids that is how I won the bragging rights of “I’m on a record cover.” and that’s pretty cool. That album is one that gets consistent airplay on my iPod, and turntable. It is just an amazing folk-pop record, and that is where Kevin Seconds new record takes me. Don’t Let Me Lose Ya is just a really good pop-folk record with a nice country twang. It’s a collection of love songs, and road songs that makes me want to hop trains and live like a vagabond.
Some songs follow the pop vibe like the opening cut Forever Try, which I remember him trying out during one of his live simulcasts from his van 2,000 some miles away. Ahhhh technology, kind of a cool thing. There is some great orchestration on this record with some strong melodic backing cello, and really strong Emmy Lou Harris-esque backing vocals. The title track, Don’t Let Me Lose Ya I almost skipped as sappy until I heard those backing vocals, and was completely sucked in. On “Only Drug I Ever Done” I chuckled at the lyrics “You’re the only drug I’ve ever done, besides the small amount of pot I smoked in high school.” It’s a love song without taking the topic completely serious.
Overall this is a really good record with themes all of us have felt in life; love, loss and being an idiot on more than one occasion. If you are looking for 7 Seconds, yeah, this isn’t a 7 Seconds record, but I think fans of Kevin Seconds music will be very pleased with his new effort. I think with each release he continues to set himself apart as a viable solo artist. To me his strongest effort thus far was “Rise Up Insomniacs” and this takes a bit of departure from that record being more stripped and raw. It’s a good departure though and not a far turn from where he started. It’s still got the heart on your sleeve punk rock lyrics and is enjoyable throughout. As a songwriter he is pretty damn good and worth checking out. Don’t Let Me Lose Ya comes out 10/9/2012 on Asia Man Records go buy it and buy a couple of his earlier solo records while you are at it.
