Product Description

Third album from Sam Hardaker and Henry Binns follows 2004's 'When It Falls'. Continuing to build on their established sonic blueprint, this album incorporates some more organic elements, such as acoustic guitar, into their chilled and downtempo sound. As well as their longterm vocal collaborator Sia Furler, it also features indie-folk superstar Jose Gonzalez, who lends his voice to the single 'Futures' and a uniqueversion of his own 'Crosses'.

Track Listing

1. Futures - Zero 7 & Jose Gonzalez
2. Throw It All Away - Zero 7 & Sia
3. Seeing Things - Zero 7
4. Pageant Of The Bizarre - Zero 7 & Sia
5. You're My Flame - Zero 7 & Sia
6. Left Behind - Zero 7 & Jose Gonzalez
7. Today - Zero 7 & Jose Gonzalez
8. This Fine Social Scene - Zero 7 & Sia
9. Your Place - Zero 7
10. If I Can't Have You - Zero 7 & Sia
11. Crosses - Zero 7 & Jose Gonzalez
12. Waiting To Die - Zero 7

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3713 in Music
• Released on: 2006-05-22
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
Since remixing Radiohead’s "Climbing The Walls" into a horizontal classic, ‘chill out’ champions Zero 7--Sam Hardaker and Henry Binns--have gone from strength to strength. This third album from the duo is highly anticipated to say the least. Will the duo stick with the floozy, fuzzy, lounge-heavy sound that has made them famous? Or will they make an Air-style u-turn into rock/harder electronica territory. The Garden does it all. Enlisting vocalists Sia and José Gonzalez (Henry has a go too), the document displays many links back to previous work--warm synths, French pop flair, subtle world music influences--but also showcases a keener sense of experimentalism and a more driven, assertive sound. The contrast between the sultry, folky Gonzalez (who supplies four tracks, including a reworking of his own great track "Crosses") and the more soulful, upbeat Sia (who supplies three) introduces an interesting dynamic and help Zero 7 achieve what is ultimately a more mature and interesting direction. --Paul Sullivan

Customer Reviews

Vintage Zero 7 at the start then branches out
The opening track is the one used in British TV advertising for the album (and if I remember rightly, it became a single) so it has a "head start", I immediately liked it and the track which followed. The rest of the album is very relaxed but the smorgasboard approach means that overall I enjoy the previous album a lot more. Perhaps if I'd bought it when it was brand new I would like it more but respect to Zero 7 for getting to their third album and nearly 10 years, on a dance level they're getting close to M-People's Longevity.

Keep the Faith
Like so many before me, I too have waited to review this. Mainly because I was adamant to keep the faith. Thankfully, I have and it has remained in tact!

A bit Lemon Jelly meets Jose Gonzalez meets Sigur Ros meets the 'usual' Zero 7, this is not an album you listen to if you're in the mood for Simple Things or When it Falls. But it doesn't mean you shouldn't listen to it.

Quite simply, it's just different. Good, but still different. It's a different mood to the other albumbs and so should be listened to when you're not in the mood for/expecting the same feelings from them.

I am still to fall for as many of the tracks as I did on Simple Things (ie. all of them!) but I'm putting it down to still 'getting my ear in'. I personally love Throw it all Away and You're my Flame, but I'm sure the list will be more populated by the time I've grown to love this as much as the other albums.

Keep listening...and then listen again.

Folking fantastic
No disrespect to the people who have given some bad reviews of this album, but comparing it to the others albums and giving it a poor review because it isn't as accessible and as "nice 'n fluffy" is ridiculous in my opinion.

This is an excellent album by Zero 7 and I'll tell you why. Firstly they have gone in a different direction musically in places and it works, which I think they deserve credit for. Many of the sounds on some of the songs you might call "experimental" or a little "out there", but they just work.

Secondly the songs are just more interesting than many on the previous albums. I found songs from Simple Things sometimes just too samey and safe, yet the ones here have little nuances and touches here and there plus interesting lyrics that make you come back to them again and again.

In short a compelling album.