Six Going On Seven – American’t (or Won’t) – Review

Six Going On Seven

American’t (or Won’t) (Big Wheel Recreation/Doghouse)
by Tim Den

After being pigeon-holed as The Police jamming with Slint and fronted by Elvis Costello for two records, Six Going On Seven is here to break out of that pesky mold by coming up with an album that’s as surprising as the title is clever. American’t (or Won’t) is the all-out pop album that the band’s been threatening to unleash for years, and it shows where all them catchy little hooks (buried under the indierockisms) of the last two records came from. Tracks like “Readying,” “Television Snow,” “Lately,” and especially “A/K/A” (the record’s most hand-clappin’, foot-stompin’ good time tune) have Big Time Radio written all over ’em. Big hooks, catchy phrasing, not too heavy on the overdrive… just cruising at an alarming speed of ease. To those paying attention, this transformation isn’t so shocking. You don’t even have to listen too closely to hear the classic pop trying to claw its way out of previous songs like “Portsmouth” and “Reverse Midas.” But will the rest of the unknowing indie rock snobs – uh, I mean, enthusiasts – buy the bouncy ditty “‘As Is'” and the new Six Going On Seven? The road to acceptance is going to be a hard one for the band…
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