Album Club: 11.10.2011: Zero 7 - Simple Things (2001)

[MartinT]

What I didn't like too much was some of the singing. One track, "Distractions", is sung in that nasally, contrived syllable-mangling style that I absolutely detest.

Sia is an acquired taste and sings in her lazy Aussie style reminiscent of Rickie Lee Jones' lazy Californian style. Her voice has great power and imparts wonderful emotion. Personally, I love it.

[keiths]

How funny, that's one of my favourite tracks I can see how people won't like SIA mind you and her style of singing is definitely a Marmite experience.

I liked the other track she sung on and have heard one of her solo albums - which I thought was OK.

Just as a matter of interest Keith, what are your thoughts on Auto-Tune?

Used as an effect on that Cher song it was fine, but that would soon get tiresome if over used. As a studio tool to fix an out-of-tune singer it seems somewhat dishonest.

[keiths]

Sia is an acquired taste and sings in her lazy Aussie style reminiscent of Rickie Lee Jones' lazy Californian style. Her voice has great power and imparts wonderful emotion. Personally, I love it.

I'm a big RLJ fan, but Sia's singing on this particular track did nothing for me. I've heard other Sia tracks and thought them OK.

[DanJennings]

I typed this once already but lost it. grrr. Anyway...

As usual I'm late to the party.

I've heard this album before years ago, presumably not long after it was released. I think it may have been Hamish that played it to me, and I don't think I was very keen at the time.

However, I've listened to it a couple of times this week with a copy borrowed from a friend, and I have to say I really rather like it.

It confused me that I recognised most of the songs, even though only really giving it a cursory listen a couple of times almost 10 years ago...

It reminds me in places of Air, and occasionally Morcheeba but more soulful than either. A very soothing wash over you type album, it was lovely after a shit day at work.

I'll give it 4 stars, and I'll definitely be ordering myself a copy.

[Alex_UK]

Well, I promised a little "theory" a while back, so I suppose I should deliver - albeit I have to admit it was written on the back of a postage stamp, not even graduating to the back of a fag packet...

It has long been suggested that dog owners often gravitate to a mutt that looks like themselves - you know, a bulldog owner often looks like a bulldog... Well, my "theory" is somewhat aligned - does your music taste reflect your personality?

My wife, and also others (including my boss) find it frustrating that I am a very laid back person - I really don't get wound up by very much in life, and generally let it all just wash over me. So is it a coincidence that my favoured music is usually "chillout"? Does anyone else believe that their music choices reflect their personality, or to get back to the dog analogy, am I barking up the wrong tree?

Music is such a personal thing that perhaps it is impossible to pigeon hole it, and indeed your mood can vary, but looking back over time, some of the music I have been "in to" fitted my lifestyle at the time - but generally I always fall back to "chill" - which fits me perfectly as a person - does anyone else feel the same, and their favoured music choices fit their personality?

[MartinT]

I don't think I can apply that to me, Alex. I like 'chill' music like Zero 7 or Tangerine Dream but I also like edgy, angry music from the likes of Shostakovich, Stravinsky or Portishead. It all depends on my mood and reflects on that more than my personality, I think.

[John]

I think like a lot of these theories there is some truth, for instance I tend to play music depending on my mood/muse but the main music I listen to is complex technical heavy existential aggressive and melodic in places. I certainly not the most technical person and no one would describe as aggresive so not really sure how this fits in to the theory. But think a great theory to have a chat in the pub with
I remember when working in a big day service coming up with a similar theory that I be happy to discuss in the pub lol

[morris_minor]

Simple Things, When It Falls, The Garden - all good

Yeah Ghost: WTF was all that about?

[dantheman91]

5 / 5

Sure is a fantastic production but their are also some track that bring back certain memories such as "Destiny" & "Simple Things" this is what music is about for me bringing back certain times that were happy times.

[The Black Adder]

4 / 5 - Great album, been a fan from their early days..