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After “The Wreckage”, an album that Hoge was inspired to write after nearly dying as the result of a scooter accident, he moves on with his career with “Number Seven.” It’s simply titled that because it’s his seventh full-length record. With this album, Hoge doesn’t seem over-the-top inspired like he has been with recent efforts. He seems to be at peace and casual with his place in life. It’s a welcome change for a guy that’s most influential reference is Otis Redding. Redding’s defining song is “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay” a song that’s one of the most ‘I’m at peace’ songs in history. When Hoge sings songs that are overly depressed or angry, his choruses and his backing band can get lost in the ferocity and passion of his voice. All of Hoge’s records are good, but it’s good to get something different and to hear Hoge singing peacefully for once. He still sings about some things that are upsetting to him, (immigration namely on “The Illegal Line” and the music business on “Goddamn California”.) But when he’s singing about them he sounds like he’s at peace with them suggesting change instead of enraged and screaming at them. The change in personality of Hoge’s singing along with a stronger country influence are the defining characteristics of this album.- There’s lots of steel guitar here, probably more than any other Hoge album. “Number Seven” is what you would expect from an artist making his seventh album. Hoge has a certain writing style that he's perfected over the past few albums. With this record he slightly changes the way he delivers the songs he writes.