Orange Ave.

07/14/1998 3:00 AM, Yahoo! Music
Bill Holdship

Seems a lot of bands to hit the big time during the last six years or so stole a basic blueprint from some of those nondescript one- or two-hit-wonders of the '70s. Only the clothes have changed--and sometimes not that much. You don't expect every band to "change the world" or even set it on fire, but can popular bands be any less descript than they are in this era of Hootie & the Blowfish, Live, Matchbox 20... It's almost as though these bands majored in "Rock Star," if there were such a thing offered at colleges and major universities (and it probably won't be long before there is!).

Seven Mary Three seemingly falls into that same nondescript rock netherland; just check out the thrilling details in their record company bio: "Major label debut is released; [the band] appears on nationally televised New Year's Eve special; band releases promotional-only CD..." And it only gets less thrilling from there.

And yet, when you've been reviewing records as long I've been, you can only go by whether it sounds good or not in the end...and Orange Avenue (the title a tribute to 7M3's Orlando home base) sounds damn good. From the moment "Peel" kicks off the LP with a guitar strum reminiscent of Ten Years After's "I'd Love To Change The World" before exploding into a rock tour-de-force, Orange Avenue remains exceptional throughout. "Over Your Shoulder" continues in a strong melodic vein--and singer-songwriter Jason Ross proves to be a walking rock primer with a band that manages to pull it all off. Said band has frequently been classified in the "alt-rock" genre, but Orange Avenue would appeal to fans of stuff like early Tom Petty ("Over Your Shoulder"), recent Steve Earle ("Each Little Mystery"), and good old melodic garage psychedelia ("In Between"). For all I know, Jason Ross may have taken that Rock Star 101 course ("So I hang on, listening for the person that will be the anthem for the end of suffering, loneliness and dissatisfaction," he states in aforementioned bio--gag...), but, hey, the dude delivers here.