There is no better way to get your music recognized than by putting attractive women slathered in whipped cream on your album cover.
Boston quartet Seventeen uses this tactic to promote their new record “Bikini Pie Fight.” The only problem is, the album itself is actually pretty good.
When one encounters these kind of marketing ploys, the usual result is a weak album sold only by hot girls. This is not true of Seventeen. Their record is a small label release (XOFF records) and is a direct rock ‘n’ roll album.
The first track, “Porno Getaway,” jumps into heavy, fuzzy guitar rifts with driving drumbeats. The structure of the music is simple with short verses, easy chorus rifts and quick bridges. Seventeen manages the style very adeptly, going back to the simple hard-rock of the grunge era.
Seventeen has fun with its music. The lyrics are simple and straightforward. Seventeen doesn’t attempt to set deep, meaningful poetry to music, just fun songs about betting on car races, “Number 9,” getting a girl to notice you, but failing miserably, “Newbury Window,” or a goofy pseudo-disco song about love, “Return to Disco Mountain.”
On lead guitar and vocals for Seventeen is Jason Adams, on guitar and vocals is Jon Baird, handling bass and vocal duties is Chris Baird and Tony Mellace plays drums.
This band has the potential to gain some commercial success. The entire record is fun to listen to and sometimes it’s even hard not to laugh. With its polished garage-rock sort of sound, Seventeen may ride “Bikini Pie Fight” to a substantial amount of fame.
On the down side, the music is less than inspiring. While ducking the current trends in rock (Creed, Fuel, 3 Doors Down), Seventeen brings nothing we haven’t heard before to the table. The music isn’t revolutionary, but it still holds value. “Bikini Pie Fight” is a record that won’t make a huge impact or endure the tests of time, but will still be something that’s fun and amusing to listen to.
The record isn’t due out for release until October, but the band is touring this spring to promote the album.
Although Seventeen won’t run through our fair city, we’re getting a different way to experience the group. According to Takeoutpop.com representative Brenda Batyske, Seventeen is holding a listening party this Friday at the Spot Bar on south High Street to promote the new record.
Most of you are thinking, “Ooh super, a listening party. I can have one of those at my house,” but there’s a twist. In association with Takeoutmusic.com, Seventeen is looking for models for the cover of their next single. All the girls have to do is wear bikinis and throw pies and whipped cream at each other, while a photographer takes stills.
These contests will be held all over the country in major cities and universities. The finalists of these contests will have their pictures sent to the label, and from among these young ladies the band will choose who will appear on the cover of their single.
This is a chance for some of the girls to get on a nationally released single and be seen by people across the country. For guys it’s a chance to see girls in bikinis have a pie fight.
