Zero 7

"The Garden"
Zero 7
Atlantic Records
2006

NPR's "World Cafe" show called "The Garden" from British production team Zero 7: 'a rainy evening's ideal soundtrack'. That's about as good a description as any to sum up the groups latest effort. Some may be familiar with their song "In the Waiting Line" which was featured in Zach Braff's film "Garden State." The core of Zero 7 are producers Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker. They mix the tunes with a blend of synthetic and acoustic sounds and bring in guest vocalists to sing. "The Garden" features two such vocalists in the form of Jose Gonzalez and Sia.

From the very first strains of "Futures" to the end of the album, one can't help but wonder if they are listening to a long lost Yes or Emerson, Lake, and Palmer album because "The Garden" has a very distinct 70's prog rock feel. The music has a thick texture with synthesizer sounds, ranging from horns and strings to just straight up electronic beeps, coupled with harmonizing backup vocalists that complement the two lead vocalists. Sia sounds kind of like Nelly Furtado when Nelly Furtado used to sing and Jose Gonzalez has a subdued indie voice somewhere between Nick Drake and The Shins' James Mercer. Together all these elements become an ethereal musical experience.

My favorite songs on the album are "Pageant of the Bizarre", "This Fine Social Scene", and "Crosses" but everything on the album is wonderful, especially on a rainy day like today. The big negative about "The Garden" is that the lyrics are more or less irrelevant. The function of the vocalist on these tracks is to add to the overall texture of the music. "The Garden" is the perfect background music to study to or to just zone out with.

In the end, "The Garden" is a profoundly beautiful soundscape that is soothing and relaxing.
I give it $10.