Birth of a Cynic

Birth of a Cynic is the first independent release of post-grunge garage rock band 8stops7. It was produced by Paul Lani & Paul Yered and released on Elephant Ear Records.

Birth of a Cynic
Studio album by 8stops7
Released	1998
Genre	Alternative rock Post-grunge Hard rock
Length	43:11
8stops7 chronology
Birth of a Cynic (1998) In Moderation (1999)

Musicians

• Evan Sula-Goff (vocals, guitar)
• Seth Watson (guitar, background vocals)
• Adam Powell (drums, background vocals)
• Alex Viveros (bass, background vocals)

Album artwork

Album artwork was photographed by Scott Council, who went on to a successful career in entertainment photography. The images were photographed in Ventura, CA and Ojai, CA. Marty Johnston was the graphic designer.

The booklet from original release was printed as a blue and black duotone on white paper with hidden elements in a high gloss varnish, while the reissue was printed in full color and had slightly different artwork.

Four of its tracks were re-recorded for the band's major label release In Moderation on Warner Bros. Records/Reprise Records. In 2007, three songs were featured in the short film He's Not My..., which was produced by Contempovision Films.

Track listing

1. "Doubt" (3:50)
2. "Fate" (4:34)
3. "Esteem" (4:38)*
4. "Not Alive" (3:56)*
5. "Long Distance" (2:38)
6. "Wider" (3:24)*
7. "Wait I Swear" (3:48)
8. "What's the Big Idea" (4:15)
9. "Weekend" (4:46)
10. "Disappear" (3:51)
11. "Forget" (3:31)*

* Asterisk indicates song was re-recorded and included on the band's following album: In Moderation.

Reception

A review in the Los Angeles Times gave Birth of a Cynic a grade of "B-", comparing the band to Soundgarden (except younger and with less money). The review called out the "growling vocals of Evan Sula-Goff, who somehow manages to prevent those veins in his neck from blowing up".