Seventh Tree Cover Art

I must admit, after hearing their last album, Supernature, I was expecting a much more dance floor vibe from the former electro-pop group Goldfrapp’s 4^th studio album, Seventh Tree. Having said that, their new album is a pleasant surprise, if you are into relaxing folk pop.

Allison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory put a break on the beats and utilize acoustic guitars, gentle percussion and piano on this collection of 10 songs. The result is a whimsical vibe that can best be described as the type of music played at a house party when it’s late in the morning and most of the guests have said their goodbyes, leaving only the somber, blurry eyed participants slouched on a couch in the lounge room.

Allison really showcases her voice, putting her in a comparable league with PJ Harvey and Kate Bush.

"Clowns" opens the album, with such gentle guitar melody and soft-soothing vocals that it almost passed me by. This track needs to really be listened to, to gain the full rewards, that being the feeling of the sun on your back when you wake up in the morning, or laying in a field, the world silent around you, if not for the birds humming in the background.

“Little Bird” is one of my favourite songs on the album, it’s psychedelic trip-hop in the background almost hypnotic as Allison’s repetitious vocals are entrancing. “Now we are free, now we are free”. “Happiness” is more upbeat and possibly the closest thing to the Goldfrapp I had come to know. As its title suggests, it’s a song about positive emotion, love and rejoicing, but at the suggestion that this can all be bought, and the circus-like melody stirs those emotions within.

“A&E” was the first single off the album, has a fairly routine sound, possibly more commercially marketable than the other 9 tracks, but still a fair introduction to what to expect. It’s an even melody with more beat and guitar, returning to a commercial pop sound. Likewise, “Caravan Girl” is a great pop song with a catchy bridge and chorus and percussion melody.

Overall, Seventh Tree is a successful detour from sounds of the band’s past two albums, with some great melodies, Allison’s fantastic vocals and an overall relaxed after party vibe.. “Everything comes around, bringing us back again, here is where we start and where we end.”

Tags: goldfrapp