Search - Zero 7 :: Simple Things

Creamy.

darragh o'donoghue | 11/20/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Zero 7 have been called the British Air, and for once the comparison isn't unhelpfully lazy. Like the French geniuses, 7 create cloud-spacious keyboard soundscapes, full of epic, melancholy melodies, reclaiming the despised, functional music of the 70s - muzak, piped/elevator music, BBC Stereophonic workshop etc. - and asserting its emotional value. While this was surprising and revelatory in the mid- to late-90s, it's familiar enough now; thankfully, 7 have enough of their own moody, bittersweet personality to keep you interested. Other major echoes include the more experimental Burt Bacherach of 'Reach Out', especially in the use of such creamy instruments as the trumpet, the xylophone and God's own, the theremin; Portishead, in the late-night, trip-hop despair of songs like 'Destiny' or 'In the Waiting line'. The overall air of blissed pastoral stretches as far as English folk music on occasion. Sometimes, like a spoilt, ungrateful child, I have qualms - that this is too 'coffee-table' perfect; tht the singers sound like session musicians; that 'Likufanele' is a bit too WOMAD for my tastes; but the textured, instrumental beauty, even on the vocal tracks, smothers any doubts. Reminds me, for some reason, of a brighter summer day in the 1970s."

Love the instrumentals, could lose the vocal tracks

yogamatt1970 | 06/20/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The first vocal track is OK (it's a cover of an older song I think). The female vocal tracks are pretty weak - she sounds like Bonnie Rait or Melissa Ethridge (is this the best Beth Hirsch imitator they could find?). The other vocal track features some guy who sounds like the singer from the Fine Young Cannibals - it's alrigtht. BUT the instrumental tracks definitely pick up where Moon Safari left off. They're absolutely delightful!!! Everyone's calling them the "British Air" and that's OK with me seeing that the original Air doesn't want to be Air anymore (I'm completely disappointed with 10,000 Hz Legend.) If you like dreamy spacey downtempo music, you should buy this album."

A must have

bailla | 04/16/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Along with the chillout heavy weights, Air, Blue States, and Morcheeba there has evolved a new British duo - Zero 7. Even though dubbed the British Air equivalent they are in their own right very original. Their strengths from Air are their fanatastic vocal tracks, in fact most of their songs are vocal. Simple Things is definetly an album that any serious chillout listeners should have in their record collection.In a few words this album is very varied whilst keeping to chilling out songs, suitable for any age and great for listening!"