Reviewed by Jeff Walker

My Alternative Music Standard – Radiohead – OK Computer
My Electronic/Dance Standard – Goldfrapp – Supernature
My Singer-Songwriter Standard – Damien Rice - O

Seventh Tree is like waking up on a Sunday morning next to someone you really like – it’s warm and relaxing, maybe not as sexy as the previous night, at times even sleepy, but ultimately makes your heart soar and you want to savor every bit of it.

Release Date: February 26, 2008

Tracks/Length: 10 tracks / 41:36 (Web Site)

Producers: Alison Goldfrapp, Will Gregory, Flood (The Downward Spiral, Violator, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb)

Review:

Honest Opinion:
If you’re at all familiar with Goldfrapp’s previous albums, this one will come as quite a surprise. Gone are the throbbing dance beats, pulsing synths, and seductive vamping from singer Alison Goldfrapp. Instead, Seventh Tree has a sort of folk-acoustic-electronic sound that may even invoke comparisons to Enya and is the kind of music you would hear on Grey’s Anatomy (in fact, “Some People” was played in the first new episode following the strike).

At first listen, I didn’t think I’d be able to stay awake, as many of the early songs are rather slow and take some time to engage. Fortunately, Seventh Tree really grows on you, so even the slower songs become contemplative and subtly moving. The vulnerability and fragility that Alison Goldfrapp projects in her voice and lyrics make you want to give her a hug. Softly swirling strings, ambient synths and piano complement the vocals to create a consistent sound that slowly enraptures the listener.

I always think that a great album needs to have a strong finish, and Seventh Tree fits the bill. The last half is brilliant in working you into a dreamlike euphoria that also picks up the pace a bit from the first half, and features the best songs.

Seventh Tree is definitely not an ideal album for cruising down a coastal highway as only the bouncy “Caravan Girl” seems like a candidate for a DJ’s spin. However, this is a great album for making out, waking up, or just yearning for the one who touches your heart.

1st Single Representation: “A&E” is indicative of the acoustic and electronic mix that makes up most of the songs. It has a bit more melody and a stronger climax than a lot of the songs, but represents the mood and style of the album really well.

If You Are Going to Download Three Songs (legally of course), This Is What I Would Download: “A & E” – probably the best song on the album, “Caravan Girl” – upbeat and catchy as hell, “Monster Love” – perfect end to the album and cathartic in a way.

Rule of 4 (if you like at least four songs the whole album is worth buying): Listen to one song and if you like it, you’ll probably like most of the album, especially if you give it more than a few listens. The first song, “Clowns,” is the only one I tend to regularly skip over. It’s not a bad song, just soothing and quiet, and never achieves the flourishes that many of the other songs do. I definitely like more than half the album and think it is worth a purchase or download.

Verdict: If you like Goldfrapp, you may not care for this, since the shift from dance to slower acoustic-electronica is pretty dramatic. But, it has some hypnotic songs that transport you to another place. Give it time and attention, and it can be quite rewarding, even if it’s not adrenaline-pumping or easily accessible.

Reviewed by Jeff Walker

Reviewed on 4/4/08

My Alternative Music Standard – Radiohead – OK Computer

Don’t expect anything “Crazy,” and you will find a solid album full of retro sounds and dark lyrics. It’s nothing groundbreaking, but an interesting listen for the more musically adventurous types.

Release Date: 3/18/08 (digital); 3/21/08 (physical album)

Tracks/Length: 13 tracks / 39 minutes

Producer: Danger Mouse

Review:

Honest Opinion: Let’s get one thing straight – there is no massive mainstream hit here, a la “Crazy.” After one listen, I was actually pretty disappointed with the album as a whole. “Run” is an energetic and solid single, but nothing else jumps out in a similar way. The good thing is that The Odd Couple grows on you the more you listen to it. It never becomes a fantastic album, but does overcome the initial disappointment.

While all of the songs are interesting and different than most music out there, Gnarls Barkley creates mood pieces rather than songs that take you somewhere. At times, they hint at breaking out and sending you on some strange trip (“Open Book” feels like an apocalyptic odyssey down the river to see Colonel Kurtz), but too often stay within their structure. It’s frustrating, because St. Elsewhere did the same thing and you wonder if Gnarls Barkley is ultimately limited. There is always something new to each song (schoolchildren shouting, jungle sounds, varied vocal effects often creating an eerie feeling, and an almost giddy Polka sound to “Blind Mary”), but it never seems to go as far as it could.

Cee-Lo pushes himself vocally and adds many textures that give the claustrophobic and paranoid lyrics a chance to break out of the asylum. The lyrics and Cee-Lo’s soulful bellows even save a few of the songs from becoming a bit too lethargic (see “Who’s Gonna Save My Soul”, “She Knows”). Handling the production side, Danger Mouse creates a throwback vibe that recalls a funky, almost surf-like sound from the 60s or 70s (thanks to the synth, you even hear some Zombies-like elements). While it grabs you, it just doesn’t always stay with you, which is the album’s problem as a whole. It is interesting while you listen, but there is never a feeling that you have to hear it immediately after the last song. The Odd Couple reminds me of a stereotypical New York artist – creative, interesting, and has a distinct voice, but nothing you really want to be around all the time.

1st Single Representation: “Run” may be the best song on the album in terms of getting the adrenaline flowing and taking you somewhere. Expecting the rest of the album to be similar will only end in disappointment. Think of “Run” as the one fast, danceable song on the album and you can better appreciate the diversity of the rest of the songs.

If You Are Going to Download Three Songs (legally of course), This Is What I Would Download: “Run,” “Open Book,” “Blind Mary”
Rule of 4 (if you like at least four songs the whole album is worth buying): I like the aforementioned three a lot, and the rest of the songs are pretty good, even if not spectacular. There is nothing bad here, but the whole album just doesn’t wow you as much as it possibly could.

Verdict: If you like more of Gnarls Barkley’s work than “Crazy,” I would recommend that you lower your expectations, buy it and let it grow on you over time. Those who were only crazy over “Crazy” should stick to the single, “Run.”