Seventh Tree

Occupation

See Below

Production

Seventh Tree ( German: " Seventh Tree " ) is the title of the fourth studio album by British duo Goldfrapp.

In contrast to the two previous albums, Supernature and Black Cherry, which mainly included danceable disco music, Goldfrapp devote themselves with their fourth albums the quieter sounds. Seventh Tree was a commercial success for the duo. The album reached # 2 on the album charts in the UK and number 21 in the German album charts, the previous top position of all the albums of artists in Germany.

  • 7.1 placements
  • 8.1 Music
  • 8.2 production
  • 8.3 Visual

Background information

With their fourth studio album Goldfrapp turned away from the music style of their two previous albums, Supernature and Black Cherry. Instead catchy and danceable disco songs that dominate quiet, atmospheric sounds that are held close to nature, resembling the sound of the debut album Felt Mountain. Alison Goldfrapp justified this change of style with the intention after the tour promotion of Supernature something " more intimate " and create " Calmer " want to. When asked how her record label has responded to the changing of the genre, replied musician and producer Will Gregory:

"We are very lucky that we have a record label that likes to experiment and try out new ideas. I think in some ways we were more afraid than she was. We thought, 'What are we doing here ?'. And we've played them a few songs, early demos, and they loved it. That was great. "

Alison Goldfrapp told in an interview to have taken their inspiration from the surreal themes from children's books and paganism. Seventh Tree was recorded in a rented house in Bath, Somerset in England, rather than as in the previous albums - as usual - in a professional recording studio. Prior to working on their new album, discussed the two musicians on the use of several new instruments, including the harp.

Songs

The opening song of the album is an acoustic pop song clowns in which Alison Goldfrapp sings about the prevailing obsession with youth and beauty with a very high voice. The follow- piece Little Bird ( German: " Little Bird " ) is about a crow that has two mouths instead of eyes. Happiness has, according to Will Gregory, despite the cheerful sound of a dark, melancholic undertone in which it comes to the question of how to be happy and how hard and rocky the road is there. A & E ( long form: " Accident & Emergency" ), the English name for a hospital emergency room revolves around a woman who surrenders her reverie in the hospital. Alison Goldfrapp explained the idea behind A & E: " The inspiration for A & E, I had on a Saturday afternoon when I once spent a few hours in the emergency room. It was nothing serious, but I was pumped full of painkillers. And I saw how some rugby players were brought in on stretchers. She had all broken noses or arms. And I suppose that A & E is as a kind of metaphor for a broken relationship. " To the question whether the guitar had to be recorded on the song Will Gregory replied that the chords were first simulated with the keyboard. When they asked friends, they act out on the real guitar, they proved to be too complicated, so that the keyboard samples had to be used.

Illustration

The cover to Alison Goldfrapp Seventh Tree shows with his back to the viewer and looking back over her left shoulder. She has blond curly hair and wearing a black hat and a white ruffled shirt. In the background the blurred outlines of a forest can be seen, from left Goldfrapp is irradiated by light. The booklet is a Faltposter on one side a picture of Gregory and Goldfrapp is on which Gregory is dressed as an owl with feather costume, which Goldfrapp, dressed as a clown, hugging her from behind. The other side of the sheet serves as a collection of lyrics and contributors of the album.

Reception

Critics were impressed by Goldfrapp return to the music style of their debut album. "After two completely different albums stored with the shift towards dance floor compatible sounds Gregory and Goldfrapp perform again a U-turn and devote himself again to quieter sounds. The relaxed moment explains the duo to the theme of the album, because the mandatory Beat escapades and electronic kinkiness, the Black Cherry and partly distinguished yet Supernature, stand down in favor of organic elements in the background. The electroid coolness that dominated the previous two releases, remains in the props cupboard almost hidden, and only comes with two songs in rather small doses to wear [ ... ] The new facet of Britons already revealed from the first chords of opener clowns. A distinctive Alison puts her elfin vocals over acoustic guitar plucking. Gentle strings accompany the otherwise very reduced sounding opening track. Has the basic mood of the song, however, so nothing clownesque in itself, but riding a wave of tragedy to go [ ... ] Sad beautiful in just this sense, Goldfrapp wallow in the emotional penumbra between light at the end of the tunnel and depressive hopelessness. Once again proving Gregory and Goldfrapp, that they shake with an apparent permeability class of material from the sleeve, but this time the fragile sounds than anything previously recorded. "Said Alexander Cordas, editor of sound.

Title list

Bonus material

DVD

  • Goldfrapp documentation
  • A & E ( Music Video)

Singles

Chart success

Placements

Contributors

The following persons participated in the development of Seventh Tree.

Music

  • Vocals: Alison Goldfrapp
  • Background vocals: Alison Goldfrapp
  • Guitar: Richard Evans, Steve Evans, Flood, Chris Goulstone, Alex Lee, Kit Morgan, Andrew Murphy, Simon Rogers
  • Keys: Flood, Aidan Love
  • Bass: Tony Hoffer, Charlie Jones, Alex Lee, Justin Meldal - Johnsen
  • Harp: Ruth Wall
  • Fuzzgitarre: Adrian Utley
  • Fuzzbass: Adrian Utley
  • Violin:
  • Cello: Cathy Giles, Chris Worsey, David Daniels, Melissa Phelps, Paul Kegg, Robin Firman
  • Viola: Andy Parker, Chris Pitsilides, Katie Wilkinson, Peter Lale
  • Bass: Mary Scully, Paddy Lannigan
  • Choir: The Metro Voices
  • Choir Director: Jenny O'Grady

Production

  • Production: Alison Goldfrapp, Will Gregory, Floods
  • Mixing: Tony Hoffer, Bill Mims, Flood, Goldfrapp
  • Engineering: Tony Hoffer, Bill Mims, Tim Oliver
  • Mastering: Stephen Marcussen

Visual

  • Art Direction: Alison Goldfrapp, Mat Maitland
  • Photographs: Serge Leblon
  • Design: Mat Maitland
  • Owl Drawing: Alison Goldfrapp
Folktronica Ambient music Flood (producer) Supernature (Goldfrapp album) Head First (Goldfrapp album) Media-Control-Charts Billboard 200
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