The Garden | 
| Artist: Zero 7
Label: Atlantic / Wea
List Price: $15.98
Buy New: $7.18
You Save: $8.80 (55%)
New (40) Used (16) Collectible (1) from $6.62
Rating:  86 reviews
Sales Rank: 6140
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 63380
UPC: 825646338023
EAN: 0825646338023
ASIN: B000FC2G8W
Release Date: June 6, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand new in shrink wrap! FREE UPGRADE TO 1ST CLASS MAIL!
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| Tracks:
| • | Futures | | • | Throw It All Away | | • | Seeing Things | | • | The Pageant Of The Bizarre | | • | You're My Flame | | • | Left Behind | | • | Today | | • | This Fine Social Scene | | • | Your Place | | • | If I Can't Have You | | • | Crosses | | • | Waiting To Die |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
"Upbeat" seems like an odd description of a recording that includes song titles like "Throw It All Away" and "Waiting to Die." Yet fans of Zero 7 (the English sound-design duo of Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker) will indeed discover that the group's third release exhibits a slightly more animated pace--more multitempo than downtempo--than its predecessors, the seductively trippy Simple Things and the like-minded When It Falls. Craving a follow-up to the breathy, interstellar soul of "Destiny" from the group's debut disc, or "Passing By" from When It Falls? You may struggle to find similar magic here. Even so, The Garden is an intriguing listen, showcasing the sophistication that makes Zero 7 the Steely Dan of chillout--wry, intelligent lyrical observations, inventive musicianship, a detached sense of cool forged by the duo's heady blend of folk, jazz, '70s soul, and electronica. The Kraftwerk-like "Seeing Things"--the disc's lone instrumental--and the pulsing "You're My Flame" are useful tracks to gauge this album's elevated vibrancy. Sia Furler is the group's only returning vocalist, and the absence of Sophie Barker and Tina Dico, the gentle Christine McVie counterpoints to Furler's rough-hewn Stevie Nicks, is noticeable. Mozez and his Seal-like soul is also gone, replaced by more folk/pop-oriented Jose Gonzalez. Binns even spends 80 seconds as the quiet lead voice on the slow-building brass outburst "Your Place." Furler's up-and-down vocals on "The Pageant of the Bizarre" will stick in your mind, but her best work comes on two clever lampoons of pampered lifestyles, "This Fine Social Scene" and "Waiting to Die." (Sample lyric: "Now is a good time for tasty glass of wine; let's not worry ourselves about carbon dioxide.") Different, yes, but worthwhile. --Terry Wood
Album Description
Zero 7, aka Sam Hardaker and Henry Binns, are back with a gorgeous new album, The Garden. It was produced by Sam and Henry and mixed by Phil Brown, who has worked with such luminaries as the Rolling Stones, Brian Eno and Talk Talk. It features vocal performances by Jose Gonzalez, Sia Furler and Henry Binns. The band's previous albums, Simple Things and When It Falls, were critically acclaimed and rooted them firmly alongside Royksopp & Lemon Jelly as leaders in their field. The Garden sees Zero 7 take a fresher, more upbeat musical direction while still maintaining their trademark sound, and could well turn out to be the soundtrack to the summer.
Album Description
Zero 7 comes back with their third album including the featurings of Sia and Jose Gonzlaes. Limited edition 12-track UK pressing comes packaged in digi-pak. Ultimate Dilemma. 2006.
Album Details
Limited Edition Digipack.zero Seven AKA Sam Hardaker and Henry Binns, Release their Stunning Third Album, "the Garden". Recorded Mainly in the Somerset Countryside, at Henry's Home Studio, "the Garden" was Written and Produced by Zero Seven and Mixed with Phill Brown, (Brian Eno / Talk Talk). Some Recording was also Done at the Hospital Studio in London with Nigel Godrich. This Album Sees Zero Seven Take a More Playful, Sunny, Upbeat Musical Direction, Whilst Still Maintaining their Trademark Sound.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 81 more reviews...
 AUDIBLE SEROTONIN June 6, 2006
Scott D. Grindstaff (Raleigh, NC)
50 out of 54 found this review helpful
As a major fan of Zero 7, I feel that Henry and Sam have exceeded all expectations with their third album 'The Garden'. Their trademark sound has 'graduated' with more sublime harmonies and upbeat rhythms, while maintaining the lush chords and strings so present on their first two albums. The lyrics are entertaining, intellectual, and lucid...and several musical styles are explored (i.e. shuffle, scat). The addition of Jose Gonzalez's placid vocals is the perfect complement to Z7. The standout track 'Today', featuring Jose, evokes nostalgic 60's bossa nova vibes, while 'Crosses' is reminiscent of early Alan Parsons Project. Sia Furler is at her best, doing vocals on 6 tracks, with Henry Binns in perfect sync doing backing vocals on several. (Sia is the artist who's solo song 'Breathe Me' was featured on the final episode/closing scene of Six Feet Under, as Claire is driving through the desert).
Zero 7's slight variation in style from their first two albums is at first intriguing, and with repeated listening, becomes more captivating and addictive. The horn arrangements in tracks such as 'Your Place' and 'Waiting To Die' are pure big-band bliss, with the latter track closing the album and offering an ironically humorous and upbeat perspective on our own mortality by celebrating living.
This album will reward you. My advice...BUY it, be entertained by it, and reward the people in your life that make you feel good to be alive by bringing them with you into 'The Garden'.
By the way, if you're a fan of Z7's instrumentals (who isn't), The single cd of 'Throw It All Away' (sold on amazon) has a b-side track called 'Inaminute' which is one of the band's best instrumentals...very mellow and introspective, similar to Simple Things material. The single also has the b-side 'Thistles', sung by Sia, which is very lightside fleetwood mac-ish...also excellent...but these two tracks are only available on this cd-single.
Among the BEST of 2006 and the best by Zero 7 since "Simple Things" June 7, 2006
Manny Hernandez (Palo Alto, CA)
14 out of 21 found this review helpful
Having discovered Jose Gonzalez last year, the news about his participation in the latest Zero 7 project made me very curious. I was not dissapointed. Though the entire album is not necessarily earthshattering and considered how dissapointed I was with their previous album, I admit the English ensemble really evolved on this production. They took their music in an interesting direction away from the crowded "chillout" world, incorporating refreshing folk elements and experimenting with pop songs that break away from commercial paradigms.
As much of most of my expectation about the album was based on the participation by Jose Gonzalez (and indeed he scores lots of points with me here), I gotta give it to Zero 7. They did a nice job on this one.
 flashes of brilliance, but only flashes June 17, 2006
kevin (SoCal)
9 out of 11 found this review helpful
I love Zero 7. I love some of the music on this album, but it is definitly my least favorite, and it pains me to say that.
Throw out all the five star and one star reviews, and check out what people are saying. We're all here because we love this group's music, so what's different on this album?As other reviewers have pointed out, there are a lot of half-realized works. Overall, the vocals are fine, but I do find myself missing the variety of three contrasting lead vocalists: Sophie Barker or Tina Dico or Mozez. I also miss the gorgeous strings they used to drop with great effect. To give an example of flashes of brilliance, let's take the beginning of the album.
"Futures" kicks off the album, introduces Jose Gonzalez, and sounds great. Then about 2 1/2 minutes in, it just goofs around with some annoying sound editing (one effect sounds like your CD is skipping) and then brings in some obvious and klunky percussion. This give you the sense they are building up one of their epic climaxes, but it just dies there. 2 1/2 minutes, then mediocrity. Bummer.
The next tune, "Throw It All Away" sounds great and surprisingly bouncy, but then a couple of things happen. The energy really kind of drops on the chorus. It's unsatisfying, and you can hear Sia's soulful licks coming before they happen because, well, there's so little to do. And then a little annoying guitar line comes in; it sounds amateurish. Coming from Zero 7, I'm surprised.
Then comes an instrumental tune, "Seeing Things." Great production, but kind of soulless. My wife walked in while it was playing and said that it sounded like "video game music." Ouch--that's my Zero 7 your talking about! But she had a point.
"Pageant of the Bizarre" and "Fine Social Scene" sound nice, but depend on you really connecting with their repetitive builds, and thanks to some buzzy guitar work, it works for me on Social Scene, but the beginning of Bizarre is a better song. Again, pieces of brilliance.
So what did I think was perfect?
I'm glad another review mentioned "Left Behind." It's a gorgeous one minute song. But one minute?! I would have loved to hear them transform this jewel into one of their six-minute epics. Oh well.
"You're My Flame" take their new techie-chill-bouncy approach and nails it; Sia sounds great without digging into her soul bag.
"Today" takes a samba beat and throws the patented Zero & chill on top; Jose Gonzalez is perfect. Great track.
Overall, pieces of most everything on the album sound wonderful, but there are a lot of bland let-downs for this Zero 7 fan. But I still love 'em and I aint going anywhere.
 Strange, but it grows on you June 6, 2006
Brent S. (San Francisco, CA)
8 out of 10 found this review helpful
At first I was a little disappointed with "The Garden". On first listening the album seems to lack that atmosphere that made the group's first two so great. The Garden is more popish, and definitely more experimental than either "Simple Things" or "When It Falls". Plus, Binns and Hardaker try out a number of different styles, from folk to gospel to jazz to imitation video-game music. But after a couple more times through the album grows on you. Underneath all the experimentation and new styles, the group is still doing what it does best - creating their trademark mood that's mellow, contemplative, and slightly sad.
The Garden is less coherent than either of the first two albums. In both Simple Things and When It Falls, you can listen to the entire album without ever being jarred from that mood they put you in. Unlike those first two, this album has a few tracks that seem just not to fit. The third track ("Seeing Things") sounds too much like a video game without much else going on, and the upbeat and uncomplicated "You're My Flame" clashes hard with the serious acoustic song that follows, "Left Behind". At other times the group sounds like it's trying too hard to show its range, like when it closes "The Pageant of the Bizarre" with acapella gospel music, or with the hokey folk lyrics in "Waiting to Die".
But through all the experimentation and changes of style and mood, Zero 7 still manages to put its stamp on the album. The Garden doesn't have as many gems as either Simple Things or When It Falls, but for the most part there is still that great harmonizing of dissonant chords that gives the group their unique sound. "Futures", "Throw It All Away", and "Today" are among the group's ten best songs to date, and only get better the more you hear them. If The Garden falls slightly short, it's only because expectations for the group are so high. Despite the flaws, this is still an excellent album.
Interesting stuff here, keep an open mind August 10, 2006
Peace Brotha (Ohio, United States)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
Wow. This was truly different than what I expected, even after hearing samples and reading reviews that this is far from a "Simple Things II."
While I would have loved another chillout album, the music I got was good AFTER the second spin and the shock wore off. Let me repeat -- AFTER the second spin. (The first spin had me thinking I would be selling it.)
Some people here have mentioned Steely Dan in Zero 7's new vibe. I can hear that; but for me, this album sounds a lot like it could have come from 1969 interpreted in an 80's fashion, like Z7 had been listening to some early Cardigans music among other material (not a bad thing at all -- just so different for Z7). To explain further: the melodies, thought-provoking lyrics, and arrangements are more 60's hippie-trippy than trip-hop, like psychedelic Jimmy Webb pop meets mellow Pink Floyd. Darker than sunshine pop, but far from gothic. All that is contained within the trappings of many 80's elements that are all the rage right now.
And to my ears, it works. AFTER the second spin.
Again, even though I personally would have preferred another chillout album, there is enough Z7 spice and intelligence to make this set a keeper. Not only that, the group is smart enough to recognize that the chillout craze won't last forever. This latest musical direction shows at least one alternate route that they could successfully take without being dangerously typecast in nu-lounge.
It's refreshing to see a talent like Zero 7 be able to switch directions and still pull off quality material. That doesn't happen often. While I do hope that they include some more of what made them famous next time around -- some "Simple Things" stuff -- it will be interesting to see what new ideas they have up their sleeve.
Recommended for: those willing to try something new that might be a slightly acquired taste. Acquiring that taste will be well worth it.
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