Rating:

(Atlantic, 2006) Zero 7’s third album continues in the direction suggested by their previous release, moving further from Air-inspired downbeat electronica and towards electro-pop, folk rock, and soul. Ten of the twelve tracks on The Garden feature guest vocals from either longtime Zero 7 collaborator Sia Furler or Swedish sensation José González, and each song seems perfectly tailored to the voice of its respective vocalist. The tracks featuring González tend toward a 60s folk rock vibe, augmented by keyboards, glitches, and other subtle electronic elements, and his mellow, laid back vocals complement the production nicely. There are certainly elements of other styles in those tracks, of course. “Today” is built on what sounds like a “bossa nova” beat pre-programmed into a cheap Casio keyboard and features a jazzy horn chart, “Futures” features CSNY harmonies, and “Crosses,” which is a reworking of a song previously written and recorded by González, even has elements of disco. “Today” isn’t the only song to feature jazz, either. The one track featuring solo vox from a Zero 7 member, “Your Place,” doesn’t just contain elements of jazz, it is ensemble jazz, and good jazz at that, whereas “Waiting to Die” is a fine piece of vocal jazz-pop. The lone instrumental, the electro-pop workout “Seeing Things,” is probably the weakest track on the album, and even that doesn’t make it a bad track. Sia Furler’s tracks work just as well as, if not better than, those with José González, although a direct comparison is difficult, since the songs are of different styles. Those that feature Furler’s vocals tend to be more electronically oriented, and to have much more soul and pop influence. “Pageant of the Bizarre” brings to mind Mirah, while Fiona Apple would be a good comparison for the sultry “If I Can’t Have You.” “This Fine Social Scene” and “Waiting To Die” are duets between Furler and Zero 7’s own Henry Binns, and the interaction of their voices is marvelous as they float above laid back grooves and jazz drums, respectively. “You’re My Flame” and “Throw It All Away” are two of the strongest tracks featuring Fuller, with the latter in the running to be crowned the best song on the album. Even though Zero 7 and their guests include many disparate influences on The Garden, it’s not only a cohesive album, but a downright fantastic one. The laid-back feeling, the gorgeous harmonies, and the consistently high quality throughout the record make it a perfect “chill out” album, and a great soundtrack for the summer.

* 1. Futures

* 2. Throw It All Away

  3. Seeing Things

  4. The Pageant Of The Bizarre

* 5. You’re My Flame

  6. Left Behind

* 7. Today

  8. This Fine Social Scene

* 9. Your Place

 10. If I Can’t Have You

*11. Crosses

 12. Waiting To Die

* = recommended tracks

Buy album

– Kevin

This 45-beetsreview was posted on June 10th, 2006. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.