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Expectations are an interesting thing, especially in pop music. With a background in both experimental chillout (their 2000 debut Felt Mountain) and anthemic electronica (Black Cherry and Supernature), and finding both critical and commercial success, there are a number of conflicting expectations riding on a new Goldfrapp album.
Fortunately the duo have confounded these expectations with a collection of songs that carry the listener through woozy soundscapes, transcendental choruses and a playfully applied folk aesthetic. Although the “it takes you on a journey” cliché is often correctly applied to the effect of an album, Seventh Tree defies it. Instead it sits listeners down, offers to arrange the heavens so that the rays of the sun fall pleasingly on their faces and sets about seducing them in the most charming manner.
It sits listeners down, offers to arrange the heavens so that the rays of the sun fall pleasingly on their faces and sets about seducing them in the most charming manner.
The seduction is one based on the whispering of repeated refrains - the melody that opens both ‘Road to Somewhere’ and lead single ‘A&E’ seems to pop up throughout, treated by different instruments - and sudden explosions of passion – the anthemic vocal burst that closes ‘Little Bird’ and the simple “Everything comes around, bringing us back again; / Here is where we start and where we end,” turning round and round again in closer ‘Monster Love’ promise great things for the live show.
Those lyrics have a certain resonance; the sound here is much closer to that of ‘’’Felt Mountain’’’ than the second and third albums - what may become known as the duo’s “glam-electro” period. However, this isn’t a simple repetition of style. At this stage Goldfrapp’s musical development appears like that of a butterfly in negative – ambient beginnings cocooned in a multi-coloured, gaudy chrysalis, which has now cracked open to reveal a more muted but mature, fully-formed creature realising its stunning potential.
Ben Rackstraw
This album is mainly acoustic, and from the range of expressions I’ve had from friends walking into my room while the CD has been playing- I’d say he’s not to everyone’s taste! I really quite like the album, but I know that for some people it is a little too soft, and it’s almost depressing undertones are not to everyone’s liking. I do think there are a couple of songs that you may have to listen to several times to really appreciate- I know I did!
It’s comprised of several original songs and some covers including “Stay” by Madonna, King Creosote's "Marguerita Red", and Jackson C. Frank's "Just Like Anything". I have to admit the only song that I do not really like on the album is “Marguerita Red”, the backing music is quite catchy and almost lively, but it really does not seem to connect to the actual mood of the lyrics. The original is much slower and I think the song would have worked much better if it had just been Middleton and his guitar. I understand that he was trying to make the song his own, and with the other two covers it really works- I did not recognise them at first! Yet I am unsure if it really works with “Marguerita Red”.
Listening to the album, Middleton’s Scottish accent can really be heard in his lyrics, especially in the acoustic songs. You can almost imagine him just as his album cover depicts- a lone, washed out, grey-toned figure walking along some street with his guitar, singing of his unworthiness (“Total Belief”) and contemplating the desperate drinking culture we have in Britain (“Blue Plastic Bags”). Middleton says, “As a nation we are all drinking too much. Not just the binge drinking of the 90’s but the sneaky innocent couple every night.”
I hate to liken one artist to another, but Middleton does at times remind me of Damien Rice, and I guess this is a good suggestion of the type of music Middleton produces. His work has the distinct and reoccurring image of his own self doubt, for instance in “Total Belief”. This is definitely an album for those of you out there who like raw and emotional music, as Middleton is pure and self conscious in his songs and although he does not appear to have a very high opinion of his own work, he makes music because it feels right. I for one, feel he needs to be less harsh upon himself as this album is really quite good, even though it may be true that he should try making something a littler happier feeling in the future!
Vicky Hotchkiss
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