Artist: Brent Walsh
Album: 7
Genre: Indie, Pop, Experimental
Label: Equal Vision Records

Over the past few years, I The Mighty’s lead vocalist and guitarist, Brent Walsh, has spent considerable time hashing out some tracks that just didn’t seem to fit into what is now I The Mighty.

Since their signing to Equal Vision Records in 2011, we’ve seen a considerable shift in I The Mighty’s sound, especially considering the band was originally operating as an acoustic duo comprised of Walsh and current guitarist Ian Pedigo. Even with the introduction of bassist Chris Hinkley and drummer Blake Dahlinger, the band was still churning out pop-inspired hits with their Hearts and Spades EP, a personal favorite of mine.

Given that 7‘s twelve tracks were written and recorded over the past 7 years, you can expect that the record will contain some of that classic I The Mighty sound, but also quite a few surprises; with each representing a different chapter in Walsh’s life. To describe the album as eclectic would be an understatement.

The album begins with the debut single “Free.” It’s a modern avant garde-styled track with a jarring and stripped down sound that you might catch someone like Lorde singing over. We’ll see a similar genre again in “Vitamin Smoke” as 7 wraps up. Immediately following “Free” are a pair of softer tracks that would fall somewhere between the acoustic I The Mighty EP and Hearts and Spades, with themes that explore both love and loss. A number of other tracks throughout the album will also provide pleasant callbacks to these styles.

Perhaps one of my favorite tracks is the Jason Mraz-inspired “Already Gone,” the fourth track on the album. It’s catchy and heartfelt, and explores a somewhat new side of Walsh’s sound. The track transitions nicely into one of the albums later singles, “Default World,” which, backed by an angsty chorus, brings in Walsh’s more modern acoustic sound with his trademark strained vocals.

Once again, Walsh continues to flip the script, bouncing between dramatically different sounds as the album moves into “Thin Red Line,” a track fairly reminiscent of the band’s early song, “Ghost.” The aptly titled “Typical Blues Song” follows, where Walsh channels some Anthony Raneri of Bayside and tops off the organ-driven track with a little David Gilmour-style guitar solo.

“A Toast:” is another track I particularly liked. It’s a quirky pop song that reminds me of YouTube sensation Julia Nunes with a mix of Weezer’s Blue Album.

Once again we dip to the softer side with the duet, “Land Lovers,” before 7 gets into its most unique track, the rap song, “Sea Of Thoughts.”

Yes, a rap song. The spoken word style of “Sea Of Thoughts” is carried by a Beck-like flow with hints of Kendrick Lamar and Childish Gambino. Certainly by its description the song is bound to raise an eyebrow, but trust me, it’s a welcomed surprise and it definitely grows on you.

Looking at 7 as a whole, it’s obvious how talented of a songwriter Walsh truly is. His compassion for his craft and his ability to write a catchy song across a number of genres is evident throughout. In some places, pieces of the album sound like they could follow The Lumineers on a pop radio station, while other portions feel like I The Mighty b-sides.

Due to the album’s diversity, certain tracks are bound to click with certain audiences, leaving others by the wayside. This is one of the album’s main drawbacks unfortunately. Since covering a diverse range of genres makes for a turbulent listening experience that may chase listeners away before they can enjoy each of the record’s gems. For better or for worse, streaming services and fans may end up chopping the album up into different playlists for upbeat pop, somber acoustic, and experimental/alternative.

Despite the wide range of sounds, every performance on the album is excellently done and worth a listen. Whether you’ve been a fan of I The Mighty from the beginning, or you’re a newer listener, there’s certainly something to enjoy about 7.

SCORE: 8.5/10
Review written by Scott Murray

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