Winger – "Seven"

Success is to stand by your talents and persevere

As much as I loved Mike Judge and Beavis & Butt-Head for introducing me to a new world of kickass music, I never forgave them for the damage they did to Winger's career. Not only because Winger was (i.e., is) an awesome band, but because they will always be one of the greatest in their genre.

Not only in terms of musicianship, the members acting as session and live musicians for accomplished artists such as Alice Cooper, Jordan Rudess, Dokken, Sammy Hagar, Black Oak Arkansas, Bob Dylan, Eric Martin, Twisted Sister, Giant, and Whitesnake. But also in terms of arrangement and songwriting, the group's mastermind and namesake Kip Winger having a God-sent knack for irresistable hooks, gigantic melodies, and fat, tasty soundscapes alike. And this knack is also virtually ever-present on the group's seventh album (ingeniously titled "Seven" – like with their fourth one named "IV", or their labelmates FM's 13th album named "Thirteen"!)

Well, virtually. Because, to get the biggest criticism out of the way up front in a very literal manner, I do not understand why anyone would open an album with "Proud Desperado", much less use it as a lead single. Or, for that matter, how an A-list songsmith like Desmond Child could co-write something that stiff and uninteresting. But I guess that's what he does these days.

Anyway, that's as good as forgotten as the equal parts simple and effective classic hard rock riff of "Heaven's Falling" sets in along with that classic bell-emulator key from Winger's masterful, self-titled '88 debut. This one could have easily been on either that album or its equally masterful follow-up "In the Heart of the Young" ('90). As, for that matter, could the slow and intense closer "It All Comes Back Around", its oozingly sexy descending modulations after the chorus making it sound like we're back around that wonderful turn of the '90s where the average music consumer wasn't yet considering juicy, colorful hard rock "uncool" for whatever dumb reason.

Like only the best of their peers, Winger are able to take classic ideas and repurpose them in new ways so they sound more fresh than even those peers could make them sound +30 years ago.

And mostly anything in between those two tracks are, if not on par with the band's classic bangers from those two genre staple records, then at least on par with any decent hard rock song released both before and after. One element that's curiously prevalent throughout is that Kip tends to get down and dirty. Be it in the laid-back, bluesy groove of "Voodoo Fire", the slow, heavy "Time Bomb" or the talkbox riff of "It's Okay". But the common denominator for these songs is that they all end up sounding like Winger's golden age tracks that any decent human being can only love, especially the latter being among the strongest melodies that Kip ever wrote. And that's saying a helluva lot.

One stand-out is the pure uptempo heavy metal "Stick the Knife In and Twist", its lyrics being a near-wet dream of any '80s sleaze nostalgic, rocking just as hard as the music on their own:

"Switchblade lover with a poison kiss
Tattoed 666
Legs and lips you can't resist
Come and get your fix
Tastes like heaven, but remember this
Love apocalypse"

I mean, holy shit, people. What sorry piece of shit wouldn't absolutely dig this??

If there's another element worthy of emphasis, it's co-writer and lead guitarist Reb Beach. It's no coincidence that David Coverdale has kept the man on board that once otherwise so revolving band member door known as Whitesnake for the last 21 years: Beach is nothing short of brilliant. And not only in terms of riffage. Having long moved beyond the stage of having anything to prove, he shines just as much with his counter-rhythmic pinched harmonic leads and wild, enticing bends as when he shreds, his legato being as air-tight and water-fluid as with David fucking Gilmour and Eddie Van fucking Halen (R.I.P.!).

Kip Winger has a God-sent knack for irresistable hooks, gigantic melodies, and fat, tasty soundscapes alike. And this knack is also virtually ever-present on the group's seventh album.

And the main man himself (Kip fucking Winger, duh) excels vocally as well, his rough edge often reaching near-dizzying heights. He gives his absolute all, and, although his pipes may not be up to par with what they used to be, he still belts and wails with energy to spare rather than pushing himself too hard. One aforementioned Mr. Coverdale might take notes here. And even at 61, he still looks amazing. (Yes: There's totally a man-crush happening here. Going on many years now.)

It's generally impossible for pretty much any band that released classics decades ago to surpass them. And the same is the case here. But like only the best of their peers, Winger are able to take classic ideas and repurpose them in new ways so they sound more fresh than even those peers could make them sound +30 years ago. "Seven" is as enjoyable as anyone could expect of hard rock in 2023, and as flawless as anyone could expect of hard rock songwriting in any year or decade. And that's damn impressive.

Suck it, Mike Judge.

Rating: 5 out of 6

Genre: Hard rock / heavy metal
Release date: 5/5/2023
Label: Frontiers
Producer: Kip Winger