SEVENTH SOJOURN

On Seventh Sojourn the band matured a lot and wrote some very inspiring material. Maybe because they were touring for a long time they were starting to wear down and maybe miss their families or something. Although the last album lacked inspiration, possibly because they were avoiding these problems, in 1972 they dealt with these problems and delivered what is quite possibly their best album. Admittedly when I first heard this album I hated it. It's very melancholy, the first four songs all make a reference to crying, and although this is brought to a stop by the rocker 'you and me babe', it's not long before they segue back into introspective melancholy.

What's really good about this album is that the songs are very well written. The versus and choruses are long and have complex, twisting, turning but beautiful melodies that slowly build up to a climax, a climax that stays around for a while and subsides slowly. The fact that there was only room for eight songs is a testament to that. The musical arrangements are also very well thought out and add to the overall meaning. And the guys are just laying everything on the line here, emotionally. There's no holding back. Four Stars, No doubt