Sticks and Stones
Artist: The 77’s
Label: ©1990 Broken Records

When you look at the collective work of an artist like Mike Roe, it’s hard to pick out an album that stands out strongly over the others. This “musical white elephant sale” compilation, as they called it, of unreleased demos and songs from the short lived Island-era has stood the test of time. Pure and simple, Sticks and Stones is a brush with excellence from my point of view. It seems to tie off loose ends from the Exit shrapnel/Island experiment days and opens the door for further brilliance in coming years, which of course it has. The 77’s are one of the most underrated bands of the underground independent rock scene with a spiritual vibe that reeks of honesty and the rollercoaster of living on this planet of dust. I have literally supported these guys since buying All Fall Down (1984) and Ping Pong Over the Abyss (1982) at a Christian college bookstore. I can’t believe it’s been that long! “MT”, “This Is The Way Love Is”, and “Don’t, This Way” have cranked in my car on long country trips and C-Stone treks. Mike’s guitar solo on “Don’t, This Way” is timelessly beautiful. Fan favorites have always been “Do It For Love”, “The Lust, The Flesh, The Eyes, & The Pride of Life”, and “Bottom Line.” Mike seems to pull out of his hat, “The Lust…” whenever he plays, whether it be with band, solo, or when sharing the stage with Mike Pritzl of the violet burning. 

Sticks And Stones represents all things 77’s to me. There’s the gritty blues rock, some syrup-laden pop sensibility at times, sweet hooks creating sweet driving songs, and a somewhat live jam feeling (“Pearls Before Swine”). This is one of those albums that if I was stuck on a deserted island…well, you get the picture. If you can find this on e-bay or you can find a friend to burn you a copy (oops…did I say that?), let this take you down a long country drive. Hopefully, the 77’s keep playing in one form or another for a long time. I know this is 17 years (and counting) old, but they’re a great live band. See them if you can. They usually play C-Stone…once in awhile tour. Mike is getting old. You have to stave off the wolves and keep him dusted off.

Brad Snyder
aka thecannyshark
http://pneumatictire.us/id7.html