Name: The Garden
Brand: Warner/Elektra/Atlantic Corp
SKU: 1175110
Availability: OutOfStock

Performer Notes

Personnel: Henry Binns (vocals, background vocals); Dedi Madden (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Nigel Godrich (acoustic guitar); Sally Herbert (strings); Martin Williams (clarinet, tenor saxophone); Simon Willescroft (alto saxophone); Paul Booth (tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone); Nathan Bray, Darren Wiles, Henry Collins (trumpet, flugelhorn); Paul Jayasinha (trumpet); Barnaby Dickinson (trombone); Peter North (bass trombone); Robin Mullarkey (vibraphone); Valerie Etienne, Yvonne John Lewis (background vocals).
Additional personnel: Jos‚ Gonz lez (vocals, acoustic guitar); Sia (vocals); Nigel Godrich (guitar); Robin Mullarkey (electric bass); Tom Skinner (drums).
Audio Mixer: Phil Brown.
Recording information: Juley's House (2005); RAK (2005); The Hospital (2005).
In embarking on their quest toward crafting lush, electronic pop songs, one can forgive U.K. downtempo duo Zero 7 for perhaps taking the path less traveled. In the span of two albums they have evolved from pop-influenced electronica to the more fleshed-out arrangements of their latest effort, THE GARDEN. Along with contributions from a cast of noted vocalists such as Sia Furler and Jose Gonzalez, the new album moves away from digital trickery and brings organic instrumentation and vocals to the fore, bathing the songs in luxuriant arrangements with pop hooks to spare.
On the up-tempo number "Throw It All Away," Sia's soulful croon ruminates on loss while a plaintive brass melody echoes the laid-back sophistication of '60s lounge pop. Indeed, many of the production details give the album a similar, light-as-air effervescence. On the acoustic folk of "Left Behind," Jose Gonzalez's languid vocals provide the perfect counterpoint to the spare guitar melodies, resembling the somber beauty of Nick Drake's finest work.

Professional Reviews

Q (p.119) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "[The album] comes with some genre-bending: a Joe Satriani-esque widdly guitar squall on 'This Fine Social Scene' and brass-band weirdness on the outstanding 'Your Place'..."

Mojo (Publisher) (p.102) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[P]acked with fine folk-tinged numbers....The songs are mostly upbeat...with 'The Pageant Of The Bizarre' recalling Steeleye Span..."

Album: The Garden
#	Song Title	Time
1)	Futures
2)	Throw It All Away
3)	Seeing Things
4)	Pageant of the Bizarre, The
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

Album: The Garden
#	Song Title	Time
1)	Futures
2)	Throw It All Away
3)	Seeing Things
4)	Pageant of the Bizarre, The
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