Goldfrapp Gets Organic On 'Seventh Tree'
-
Artist:
-
Album:
-
Track:
It seems most music groups go through cycles in their musical evolution. Eventually most bands hit the 'stripped down' phase where they want to simplify their sound. By doing this, a band shows their audience that they don't need all the bells and whistles in their sound, subsequently showing that their talent is authentic and not a product of the studio. Organic instruments allow for a more intimate mood in a band's sound and, oddly enough, actually help broaden their sonic palette. Goldfrapp, the London, England-based electronic duo, has pared down their sound to a minor extent on their fourth album, Seventh Tree, while broadening the complexity of their sound. Now don't misunderstand me; Goldfrapp have certainly not gone as organic as folk music is concerned. When I say "organic," I mean incorporating natural instruments such as acoustic guitar, violins & percussion, where in the past Goldfrapp have focused on synthesized sounds. It seems Goldfrapp want their listeners to realize they are musicians and not just recording wizards. The first track, 'Clowns' is a gorgeous opening ballad that is simple in its use of acoustic guitar and orchestra to grand effect. Alison Goldfrapp's stunning soprano is effectively layered here as a choir and third element. 'Little Bird' also uses acoustic guitar but not until after the second verse; first they lay down echoed synthesizer, bass, strings, and drums to enrapture the listener.
Mind you, 'Seventh Tree' still has plenty of electronica on it. 'Happiness' is a vaudeville-esque vamp replete with theremin, tambourine and horn section that could easily be a dance single or converted into a remix due to its upbeat nature. But the danceable nature of the song belies its lyrics about institutionalized hypocrisy. 'Join our group and you will find harmony and peace of mind. Make it better. We're here to welcome you... Happiness, how'd you get to be happiness? How'd you get to find love, real love?' 'Road to Somewhere' is a lovely mid tempo piece that speaks of the journey a listener can take while hearing a song. Will Gregory adds piano and melancholic cello into the mix, then infusing the beautiful synthetic keyboards as well as baroque harpsichord. 'Eat Yourself' also uses piano and acoustic guitar as well as shimmering electric guitar, bass, synths and orchestra. Many people who are familiar with Goldfrapp's oeuvre will take note that Seventh Tree is, in essence, a throwback to their first album, Felt Mountain, with slower-tempo songs, operatic vocals and complex song structure. But while that first album was completely of an electronic nature, here Goldfrapp proves they've grown dramatically in their ability to play musical instruments that weren't present on their previous albums. The difference is palpable even from their previous release, Supernature, with its ramped up and rockier electronic pop dance songs reminiscent of T-Rex and Marc Bolan. Goldfrapp seem to have something to prove and do so with flair on Seventh Tree. They want to be viewed as serious musicians, not just pop artists anymore, and so it seems they are.
But any Goldfrapp fan will already have known their virtuosity from their live performances. Just watch their live DVD from 2004, Wonderful Electric, and you will see that Goldfrapp aren't your average self-taught bedroom electronic artists. Alison herself is no ordinary vocalist either. Her pure, operatic and rhapsodic voice can be fragile-sounding, yet strong and assertive within the same lyrical phrase. Simply put, Alison has shown live that she possesses the vocal expertise that has brought the duo the much-deserved attention and popularity they now enjoy. The lush song 'A&E' and its silly video has been released as the lead single from the album (I posted about it a month ago "*here*":http://mog.com/Augusts1/blog_post/138139). It is another beautiful mid-tempo love song about the urgency of missing a loved one, and is mostly electronic oriented but has acoustic guitar at its base.
Cologne Cerrone Houdini' is a stunning ballad with swaths of orchestration and synths. 'Caravan Girl' is an exotically ornate piano-and-synthesizer dance song to rival the best of the band's '80s influenced dance numbers. The album closer, 'Monster Love' is a stunning paeon to romantic love. It showcases Ms. Goldfrapp's incredible soprano vocalizations and leaves one breathlessly in awe of her vocal talent. Seventh Tree is proof that some electronic acts can and do possess as much talent as any other genre can. They do have the ability to grow, show off their musical abilities and widen their musical palette. It just may not be the direction their fans were expecting them to go which is the hallmark of great artists, to keep their fans guessing and pondering what they will do next.
And here is a live remake of Grace's 'It's Not Over'(also covered by Klaxons) by Goldfrapp on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge 2/8/08. It is very much in the vein of the new album, which is to be released next Tuesday, 2/26/08. They also did a live version of "A & E" as well as this:It's also looking like the next single will be the song 'Clowns', which is the current loop clip featured on their website, which you can check out below:http://www.goldfrapp.co.uk/
Locating MOG account...
Comments (40)