Editor's Note
Remember us? After a brief hiatus we came back...only to have a long hiatus. Jim and I have been busy with work and pursuing our own musical endeavors, and thus Dim7 has faded. Look, however, for a full recovery in the summer of 07, a revamped site with hopefully brand new editors. If you are interested in writing or taking on some responsibility to see this thing work, e-mail us at diminishedseven@gmail.com
-Jim and Will
Reviews
Short Takes: There's no random dictionary of podcasts in outer space
By Mike Sos | 02/22/2007 | in Reviews
This week, Mike Sos examines in brief three different albums from a comic rock duo, a straight ahead metal band, and an experimental indie band. The albums in question are They Might Be Giants self released Podcast Highlights, Downlord's Random Dictionary of the Damned, and Hella's There's no 666 in Outer Space.
Prolific songwriter's new project not up to par
By Alexander Reicherter | 02/20/2007 | in ReviewsThe Good, The Bad, The Queen The Good, The Bad & The Queen Rating: 4/7 
I have long considered Damon Albarn to be a rare contemporary artist, able to transcend his own egotism by consistently taking risks and staying open to new ideas. When the old Blur/Oasis feud was happening in the mid-90’s, I watched as Albarn’s band effortlessly cycled through new styles with every album, while the Gallagher brothers continued to rehash their own tired ideas. And though his Gorillaz project has defied some critical disdain and pretty much all common sense in becoming a hit, I always knew it wouldn’t be too long before he jumped ship for a new course. So it was with great anticipation that I picked up this new release, the unfortunately-self-titled debut, The Good, the Bad, & the Queen, from his new band.
Piebald returns with sixth studio album
By Will Rausch | 02/17/2007 | in ReviewsPiebald Accidental Gentleman. Rating: 4.5/7 
After 2004’s mediocre follow-up, All Ears, All Eyes, all the time, Piebald returns with their sixth studio album, 2007’s Accidental Gentleman . Sticking to a mix of radio-friendly indie/punk rock with the occasional piano and idiosyncratic songwriting, Accidental Gentleman is a good but not great album. The band focuses enough on hooks and mixing up tempos within songs and throughout the album to keep the disc listenable.
Underground
The Flying Burrito Brothers - The Gilded Palace of Sin
By Dan Berkman | 10/30/2006 | in UndergroundThe
Flying Burrito Brothers The Golden Palace of Sin
For almost any genre there are essential records. If you are into punk then you simply must own the Ramones Rocket to Russia. If you are into ska don't tell me you don't have The Specials' self-titled somewhere in your collection. The Flying Burrito Brothers' 1969 debut Gilded Palaces of Sin is alt-country's essential disc.
The Coup - Steal This Album
By Dan Berkman | 10/25/2006 | in Underground
The Coup - Steal This Album
The Coup, led by Marxist MC Boots Riley, were and are one of the most overtly political groups in hip-hop. Their 1998 release,Steal This Album, is not just an album you put on, but a world you can escape into. Boots takes the every day experiences of an impoverished people, and turns them into cinematic, complex, and emotional pieces.
Features
The secular rise of christian metalcore
By Will Rausch | 02/28/2007 | in Features
For those of you that aren't Catholic(or Christian), it is currently Lent, the period of preparation for Easter. During this time, we will post a series of articles looking at christian music and its entrance into the "mainstream," from both secular and religious viewpoints. The first article traces the recent rise of Christian metalcore into the most secular of all music scenes, punk and metal. Enjoy the history.
Out of print: Q and A with A Wilhem Scream
By Will Rausch | 02/08/2007 | in Features
Sometimes stories or interviews don't get used by the publisher they are initially intended for. What happens to these forgotten drafts and audio files? In this case, they end up published online after the fact. Two years after my interview in January of 05 with (now ex) bassist Jon Teves of A Wilhelm Scream at BB King's Bar and Grill in New York, the Q and A found its way to you, lucky reader.
guilty pleasures
By Will Rausch | 02/01/2007 | in Features
These are the songs that music snobs are not allowed to listen to. These are the artists that you are supposed to turn your nose up at; it’s throw away culture, and you know that. But for some reason, probably because they are just so damn catchy, you find yourself secretly listening to these songs over and over again, rocking out in your apartment/dorm. These are guilty pleasures….shhhh, I won’t tell if you won’t.
Essentials
The Rolling Stones - Exile on Main St.
By Todd Sikorski | 12/02/2006 | in Essentials
The Rolling Stones - Exile on Main St.
Picking the best Rolling Stones recording is a hard thing to do. Most people would choose one of the many greatest hits compilations. These compilations, however, don't fully showcase what makes the Stones one of the best rock bands of all time. To truly appreciate Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and the rest of the boys, one should listen closely to Exile on Main Street. The disc finds the Stones doing what they do best—combining blues, rock, country, and soul into a timeless piece of work.
Black Sabbath - Parnaoid
By Gareth Jones | 10/23/2006 | in Essentials
It is arguable whether Black Sabbath invented heavy metal or if it was born in the blues-rock of bands like Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple. However, it is undoubtedly true that with the release of their second album Ozzy, Iommi and co. refined the genre into the dark, aggressive, power-chord dominated counter-culture that we know and love today. Inspiring countless metal acts from the brutal Black Label Society to the mighty Metallica, Paranoid is quite simply one of the most important and influential albums of modern music.