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88/When Numbers Get Serious Artist: 77's Label: Millennium Eight  Length: Disk 1 (88): 11 tracks / 77 min. 35 sec., Disk 2 (When Numbers Get  Serious): 16 tracks / 79 min. 08 sec.

Over the course of the band's life and despite changes in line-up, the 77's have developed a reputation as a great live band. Certainly, a large part of that reputation is garnered from those who have actually seen them live in concert as the 77's manage to retain their music's integrity and yet still take it to new and unexpected directions. A smaller part of their "live band" reputation develops from those listening to their studio recordings. Like the Vigilantes of Love (with excellent timing) and Over the Rhine (with superior improvisation), the 77's manage to carry some of the tight but spontaneous feel of a concert into the studio. However, even with all these factors working in their favor, no one band is guaranteed a great live album. The concert situation is unpredictable. Sometimes a great live band will have a bad night. Producers often try to compensate by compiling songs from several concerts and carefully editing the album to remove unwanted gaffs; unfortunately, they end up editing the life out of a live album. The 77's have overcome the obstacles to developing a solid live album several times, most significantly with the recently re-released 88.

On this recording, 77's bandleader Michael Roe is backed by one of the earliest incarnations of the group: Jan Eric, Mark Tootle, and Aaron Smith. They based 88 on a risky proposition; bad nights and gaffs notwithstanding, one concert should offer enough material to make an outstanding live album. Luckily, Roe and company proved themselves equal to the task. The comradery of the band is apparent, and their musicianship is very good. This album not only avoids the risks of overproduction, it also captures that raw energy so difficult to define but so necessary in a concert setting. In that way, it is in league with only a few Christian live recordings (such as Ashley Cleveland's Grammy Award winner). In addition, 88 captures the 77's at a pivotal point. Then known as a Christian alternative band that filled songs with clever hooks, the 77's begin to show on this album the influences that will shape their following albums--rockabilly melodies and more importantly, blues drenched rock. Consequently, it serves not only as a good listen but a historical record that all fans of the 77's and alternative CCM should hear more than once.

The album opens with "Perfect Blues," a song signaling the 77's enthusiastic concert presence and also indicating a style of music to which they aspire. Of course, the concert includes standards in the 77's 
 repertoire of that time: the always necessary "The Lust, the Flesh, the Eyes, and the Pride of Life" along with "I Can't Get Over It" and "I Could Laugh" (two songs that play better in this concert than they did in the 
 studio). "Mercy Mercy" features an extended jam session, rousing and imperfect. However, the general imperfection adds rather than detracts from this album. In addition to simply clarifying that this is in fact live, it reveals the playfulness that drives Roe as a lyricist, guitar player, and vocalist. On "Mercy Mercy" (as on other songs), the band "plays" along with Roe (consider Smith's enthusiastic drum solos). 88 also contains 
 gems such as "Mary and the Baby Elvis," which reveals the inventive magic  the band works with traditional arrangements.

Speaking of gems, I must mention the bonus disk included with their reissue of 88. As indicated by the producer, When Numbers Get Serious is a live collection very rough around the edges. It contains songs not played with the expectation that they would end up on an album. These recordings span the history of the 77's as a live band with various players. Among a few songs that are less than technically solid are many that work as fine companions to the songs on 88. The bonus disk contains sound versions of  "Alone Together," "Flowers in the Sand," and "Woody" and very nice covers of the Rolling Stones's "Paint It Black" and Led Zeppelin's "Nobody's Fault But Mine" (itself becoming a 77's standard). The 77's have been and are surprisingly tight on stage when one considers them also as an emotional, wild, and elemental live band. The re-release of 88 (with When Numbers Get Serious) serves as both a testament and a homage to the happy mix of extremes the 77's are on stage.

Terry Wandtke 9/15/2000