Seventh Tree

This is the dreamy kind of music that sounds pleasant while it's playing, but it doesn't really go anywhere and you forget what each song sounded like as soon as it's ended.

Pleasant but very samey. I've listened to it multiple times, and though the sound is nicely atmospheric, i am not really drawn to any track in particular.

Of the albums I’m listening to for the first time on this list, this might be the best so far. I had only really known Goldfrapp from ‘Ooh La La’ being in commercials in the 2000s. This was fairly different from what I would have expected given what I knew of her (and upon listening to some of their other top songs, this was a different direction for them). I was so surprised though on this that every song hit. I was expecting eventually there was one that didn’t work but right up until the end it was still working. This album is going to stay in the rotation.

Reminds me of Cocteau Twins and I'm a big fan of this genre in general. Dreamy, chill.. a great album to listen to on a cold and rainy Saturday morning. "Happiness" was beautiful. One of the best new songs I've found through this so far (300 albums in, time flies dude!)

Pleasant. Mild. Nice. Pretty. Wears a cardigan and hides behind fringes.

Matched my drive to work: Sunny and chill.

Goldfrapp’s airy voice just doesn’t do it for me

What a strange suggestion. Given that I'm not even sure to include *Felt Mountain*, Goldfrapp's debut, in my own list, I have a lot of trouble considering this later album of theirs seriously. *Felt Mountain* was already a patchy effort, some great moments mixed with quite a few snoozefests, especially those dreary instrumentals on side two. *Seventh Tree* is more cohesive in comparison, it's true. But replacing valleys and peaks with flatlands does not necessarily mean your band has improved overall. Besides, I've always found this project quite opportunistic, as great a vocalist as Alisson Godfrapp is. *Felt Mountain* was already like an afterthought of the trip-hop wave, never really reaching the heights of a Portishead in its neo-noir aesthetics. It was too late AND not enough. The 180-degree turn towards dance music in the following LPs also looked suspicious, like a money grab. And the quieter, smoother *Seventh Tree* released after this dance music period tried a little too hard to capitalize on a glossy version of the psychedelic wave that was surging again by the late naughts. A lot of acoustic textures, especially on the first side, allowed the band to do so while keeping their cool. But those textures, as nice as they are, can't make up for what's missing in this record... And what's missing in it? Well, memorable songs, for starters--or at least more than a couple of them. Striking melodies and unforgettable harmonies... And along with that: clear intents, a strong identity, genuine risks, heartfelt or witty lyrics... Pandering to the trends of the day doesn't necessarily give you those types of assets. I have nothing against "followers" (some of them did write essential albums once in a while), but for those, the songwriting needs to be top-notch. And well, said songwriting is just *OK* here. "Clowns" is the understated opening statement that's to be expected in that sort of *quote-unquote*, "more-authentic-album-aimed-at-a-more-mature-audience". "Little Bird" is the missing link between the Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever" and Beach House's "Zebra" or "Silver Soul"... but sadly, it is doomed to remain a passing footnote whenever someone has to mention those other legendary songs. "Happiness" seems to recycle the lessons of Feist's hits "My Moon, My Man" and "1234", released the year before, but without anything approaching (or even approximating) the soaring hooks and emotional choruses of the latter, unfortunately. Less lively but equally tedious--in spite of an interesting lo-fi guitar sound and the Billie Holiday overtones in its introduction--"Road to Somewhere" leads to nowhere fast. And "Eat Yourself" applies its piece of advice so well that the song instantly fades out of your memory as soon as it is over. Up to this point, only "Some People" does have anything ressembling a proper chorus, even though it's still lacking something that would bring the song to yet another level. Don't get me wrong, Goldfrapp doesn't write and perform bad music per se, and more power to you if you can appreciate what they do. It's just that "decent" is not the sort of thing that can keep you awake at night, is it? A couple of more straightforward songs towards the very end of this album--incidentally leaving aside the acoustic-psychedelic flourishes so prevalent in the rest of the tracks--show that Goldfrapp could still be a little more convincing when their heart was into it. The problem is that before those two tracks, the pop-rock diamond-in-the-rough "Caravan Girl", and the part-angsty, part-dreamy "Monster Love" (sounding like a proto-Lana Del Rey torch song about Hollywood and its many dangers), you also have the chatty MOR FM borefest "A&E", along with that very awkward "Cologne Cerrone Houdini". In those two other unfortunate cuts, Godfrapp even commits the crime of confusing style with substance, either through their excessive reliance in pop's hackneyed formulae for the first example, or through their heavy-handed borrowing of Serge Gainsbourg/Andrew Loog Oldham-like strings to painstakingly try to disguise how vacuous the second song actually is. To put it in a nutshell, successes and duds even things out at the end of this LP. And before that, there's nothing too lively happening anyway, in one direction or another. So if you wish to single out genuinely *essential records*, I'm not sure this innocuous LP filled with a lot of forcibly understated / *actually very naive* cuts--well-suited to be played as background music in a Starbucks--is what you're really looking for. Your call. 2/5 for the purposes of this list. Which translates to a 7/10 grade for more general purposes (5+2). Next, please. Number of albums left to review: 512 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 232 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 113 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 142 (including this one)

What a boring album. It was only 45 minutes, but half way through I thought to myself it needed to be over. It was not. The lyrics remind me of indie music, but there is more electronica to the music. Uninspiring and unmemorable.

Loved this one very unusual. Clow is such a great song.

dejligt

A dreamy sound and a departure from the future electronica sound Goldfrapp usually bring, Alison’s vocals soar over lush arrangements. Occasionally straying into CocoRosie territory but nevertheless still a perfectly relaxing album.

A very interesting album. It has a vaguely ethereal feeling to all the songs, many of which have honestly fairly depressing themes. That being said, all the songs in the album were great to listen to, if you happen to be in the right mood for this sort of music. Standouts in the album for me are "Happiness" and "A&E", both of which hit very good instrumental and lyrical themes that honestly keep you paying attention to the music.

Great voice and occasional glimpses of beauty but otherwise very bland and forgettable - a marked departure from earlier Goldfrapp records

I really liked the first track, but everything after that turned into a blur of songs that I could not separate out, and that left no lasting impression of anything. Perfectly fine for background music, but don't expect to remember that you had it on.

Another case where I do not understand what this album has of extraordinary.

Would make great background music for a cottagecore instagram post

BORING!!!!! Who decides this is one of the 1001 albums I must hear before I die? Only a second star cause the girl on the cover looks like Goldie Hawn

Really, really dull. It's kinda pleasant in small doses I guess but this kind of music isn't really my thing. There was one song that stuck out (Happiness? I don't even care enough to look it up) that was pretty good and stood out but this was a "it's just there" album. Ultimately I have no clue why it was included, but I can see some people really liking it

Очень лёгкая и приятная музыка. Светлая и спокойная, хотя есть драйвовые треки. Считается электронной, но она воспринимается хорошей поп-музыкой с примесью инди.

beautiful!

Made me sad. This is the kind of music I’d like to make, only…shit voice. 🙁

Why was this so good I really liked it

How have I never heard of this before?! This should have been all over the place during college! I don’t know if this is because of getting two 1-star albums in a row or a testament to how good this is (probably a combination of both), but this really vibed with me. One of the best discoveries of this project for me so far.

As a long-time Goldfrapp fan, it feels unfair to the other bands when I rate this. Nevertheless, very good album. You definitely need to be in a specific mood for it, but the first 10 seconds of the first song already put me in it.

Oh boy. They're so much fun.

I think I really enjoyed this sort of folksy 2000s stuff. I know that this was a departure, but I would hazard a guess that it was a departure in the correct direction.

Based on other reviews, I was expecting a dreary, almost ambient affair, but Seventh Tree really surprised me. It’s a gorgeous sounding, often folky affair with often great lyrics often full of bits of great observation. It may have been enhanced by the setting. I listened to this on a walk along a windy beach front, checking the windows of the shops and hotels for help wanted signs. I’ve recently moved house, and am looking for a job, and so the melancholy existentialism fit my mood and the setting perfectly. But I’m otherwise a sucker for this sort of depressing dreamy Folk Pop, I think I’d have enjoyed this regardless of my circumstances. I will 100% come back to this, so I’m tempted to give it a five, cos I’m sure I’ll fall more in love with it. Screw it, listening to Caravan Girl again clinched it for me

I thought this was brilliant. Lush and ethereal at the same time

Great album!

Amazing!

I love Goldfrapp so this is an instant like for me. The music just speaks to me unlike other albums in the similar genre.

So pleased this featured on my list - an absolute peach of an album! I'd associated Goldfrappe with the 'Oooh la la' track and discounted them for so long on that basis, then this album came along. Changed my mind forever. Beautiful.

That was really nice to listen to!

Another delightful album from Goldfrapp! I love them. A happy day.

I very much enjoyed Goldfrapp’s Felt Mountain. This had a different feel but if anything I enjoyed it more! Just an really excellent album that was a pleasure to hear.

Awesome!

Should’ve listen to it a long time ago

I did not expect this gorgeous melodic treat. I loved this album. Added, with pleasure.

This was a great pick today, as it introduced me to an artist that is right up my alley in music style. While the description of the album said it was an electronic duo, it came off more as a singer-songwriter album with Alison’s singing than it did electronic. I was completely hooked from start to finish and immediately went to seek out other albums to check out later. When I get stuck with bad albums as the daily picks, it’s ones like this that make me happy I do this challenge.

Memories …

Bra greier, dette blir med videre.

Just like the accompanying video, the music ebbs and flows, dappled in sunshine and shadow. It's warm, evocative, tender and moving. The wispy vocals, hazy production and shimmering arrangements sparkle. A flawless, perfectly gorgeous album. This is now on my vinyl want list!

An absolute breath of fresh air. Really nice!

Es un disco que me gustó mucho, crea una atmósfera particular, relajada. También me inspiró a componer.

Un excelente disco de música "alternativa" liderado por una voz femenina. En mi opinión, este LP de Goldfrapp se adelantó bastante a las tendencias sonoras que dominaron los tabloides mainstream e indie, pudiendo incluso considerarse como un precursor del ya característico sonido de la segunda década de los 2000s. Muy recomendado, me enamoré del proyecto con este trabajo.

outstanding

yaaaass #bellasara #rhiannonneedshertroughcleanedout!

Wonderful album I would have never found on my own. Reflective and poignant, chill but meaningful. Great album

Smooth sound. Pleasantly surprised.

She's one to pick songs for my playlist. Check the lyrics for below. 5/5 A&E Eat yourself. Some People Monster Love Little Bird (listen to it again).

Awesome album, I thought this was great, it really surprised me. The kind of albums I’m doing this challenge to find! The first track was just absolutely incredible and set the tone for the whole thing.

Used to listen to this album regularly. Excited to get back into it. 5/5

Nice and calm, just the way I like it

Astonishingly good. From earthy pagan psychedelia to glacial disco via pure pop. I don't know how they did it but they did. Outstanding.

9/10 wonderful production absolutely loved the creativity here

As heart warming lo-fi goes, its one of the best. Tight too

Love this sound, so beautiful and varied and great

Beautiful album. Sat listening on a soggy February day and it took me to a warm sunny summer's afternoon.

Seven out of five trees agree, this is Gold(frapp)

I remember this name from the radio days but never really listened to them. Clowns is a really beautiful acoustic guitar tracked backed by these beautiful strings and what seems to be bird song towards the end. I feel like the band "Jockstrap" must be heavily influenced by this duo (being of similar makeup and aesthetic blending of the acoustic/organic with the electronic). "Little Bird" takes a much trippier approach. Happiness and Road to Somewhere are quite beautiful additions. Maybe it's due to just listening to portishead, but this feels like the flip side of the same coin. Trippy, electronic and organic instrumentations, but a little brighter. I can go on about Cologne Cerrone Houdini's great beat and beautiful strings or Eat Yourself's haunting vocals or caravan girls explosive ending synth arpeggios but just go and listen. This album's content is weirdly not in the list of their most popular songs except "A&E" which makes sense to me just being so vibrant and deeply emotional feeling. It's been a long time since I've immediately felt an album this way so 5 stars for that alone. Signing up for this website was worth it for an experience like this alone.

Virkelig overrasket over hvor fedt jeg synes det er. Helt vildt smukt, vokalen ligger så godt sammen med sparsom men meget elegant instrumentering, både digitalt, men også f.eks. mange strygere og meget rumklang. Ikke en genre jeg normalt rater da det er langsomt og stort fokus på vokal men hold da kæft det er smukt.

Ahh, so dreamy. Fave tracks, Little Bird, A&E, Cologne Cerrone Houdini, and Caravan Girl

beautiful

Beautiful album, played this on repeat when it came out, and I was delighted to see it appear for me today. A detour from the previous two synth pop albums, and an expansion of the sound. If you like this, try 2017's Tales Of Us.

Nice album. A few songs the vocals take some getting used to (first one in particular.) Worth it, decent listen.

Muy chulo. Más melódico que el disco que conocía

Some Interesting tracks

Мне даже больше Адель понравилось, но всё равно местами уныло.

Really good. Plenty of variety, unpredictable changes and interesting from start to finish.

Ethereal, whimsical, sophisticated rhythms and a fascinating combination of sounds. It feels experimental in a way. Overall I really liked it.

Kind of like what you'd hear in a jazz lounge on Deep Space 9. Silky smooth vocals over fun beats. BIG FAN.

I like this a lot. Great melodies that are just unexpected enough to be constantly interesting yet still completely accessible. "Happiness" is a particular favourite - I love the classic-pop progression combined with electronics; fantastic. If you'd told me "Road to Somewhere" or "Monster Love" was Kate Bush I wouldn't have batted an eye. The album drags just a bit in parts - each song in isolation is quite good, but the album suffers a little from too many similarly slow-paced songs. Pacing could have been a bit better overall, but in sum I really enjoyed this - nothing necessarily chill-inducing but I'll listen to this again. 7/10 4 stars

giving St. Vincent vibes

Goldfrapp was a new artist for me and Seventh Tree was all new music. I enjoyed listening to the album. The music didn't sound a lot like typical things I might listen to, but the album still held my attention. The music seemed like it would fit in with Dido, Natalie Imbruglia, or Michelle Branch - not that it sounded like those artists exactly, but the music would fit in. A few tracks had some good energy and I bookmarked to listen to again ("Little Bird", "Caravan Girl", "Monster Love"). One track was verging on a skip ("Cologne Cerrone Houdini"), but it did not have the same sound as the rest of the album.

The only exposure I had to Goldfrapp before today was hearing A&E right near the end of Now That’s What I Call Music 69, so I had no idea what to expect going into this album. The opening track was absolutely beautiful, and Little Bird and Happiness were both incredible as well. The album dragged a little in the middle for me with a couple of less interesting songs, but on the whole this was hugely enjoyable and I’ll definitely be diving into their catalogue

7/10. Some really enjoyable stuff, but the vibe was a bit too mopey for my taste. I liked the other Goldfrapp music that Spotify started shuffling after I finished though.

Very pretty, can hear lots of Alpine

4.25

Cool vibes but less engaging energy than I was hoping for. Closer to Joni Mitchell than Bjork. Nice enough but could have done with an electro banger or two to make me sit up and take notice.

Really enjoyed when it got a bit darker and eerier mid album. Great atmospheric production.

Not what I was expecting

i fell asleep to this album but in a good way

Didn't think I was going to enjoy that one, but it really wasn't bad.

Never heard it before but really enjoyable.

Cocteau Twins light!

Surprisingly enjoyable and catchy album. Dreamy sound with uptempo synth- music that wasn't annoying or anything though

Creo que el rocksito de estos tiempos no se explicaría sin Goldfrapp. Debo reconocer que en su momento nunca me llamó porque era demasiado tranquilo para mi gusto. Hoy con más paciencia y apertura encuentro muchas cosas positivas y aunque sigue siendo a ratos demasiado lento y atmosférico, cuando pisan el acelerador se escuchan muy, muy bien. Hapiness y Caravan Girl fueron las que más me gustaron.

7/10 nice dreamy pop music but it kinda put me to sleep at times

So I knew Goldfrapp but I didn't quite realise Alison Goldfrapp's voice could be so lovely. From the first 10 seconds of Clown my head (ears?) was turned. Got a new fan, which is all I can ask for.

No está mal. Algo popi

Surprisingly nice!

mysig mellow indie!

Not really sure why I'm seeing so many people claim this album is homogenous or just vibes. While the delicate and dreamy atmospheres definitely play a huge part in the sonic identity of Seventh Tree, it's the core songwriting that shine through for me. There are also quite a few moments where Goldfrapp lets go of just creating serene vibes and comes out with some banger synthpop beat which really set this one apart from other albums in the same genre. Not at all boring.

Didn’t listen yet

Wow, what a great album. I would describe it as "lush".

I don't know if I was just in a mood today or what but this hit just right. It's beautifully recorded, the vocals are for the most part delightful, and there's an intriguing aesthetic at play here with mostly traditional arrangements balanced with elements pulled directly from dance electronica. It's pretty dang good. The only reason that it doesn't get full marks is that it gets SUPER navel-gazey at times and I know, in a different mood, that'd piss me right off. But today? Today it worked.

Даже несмотря на то, что мне ОЧЕНЬ редко нравится подобная музыка, у меня рука не повернётся поставить этому альбому меньше 4х звёзд. Он просто очень красивый по всем фронтам - вокал, инструментал и общая атмосфера альбома очень расслабленные и кропотливо выполненные, но мне просто не заходит этот жанр так сильно, как некоторым. (7)

This Album was right in my wheel house when it comes to some soft pop! This album made me super happy and hit me in the feels in the right way possible! Standouts include Happiness, Some People, and Caravan Girl

I lost track with Goldfrapp after the first couple of records, which was clearly a mistake. This is a beautiful electro folk album which I'm sure to return to. Best song is Happiness, just ahead of A&E