[review 2008: half-measures and quiet victories]

The saving grace of Seventh Tree is that it’s not another Supernature. That album felt like a second disc of Black Cherry in many ways—it sounded similar, but with less conviction and effort. When it did break from its predecessor, Supernature tended to suffer as a result; throwing away Black Cherry’s sinister cool in favour of a more cabaret-inspired sound was not a good idea, even if that sinister cool had since become cannon fodder for television commercials and CSI scenes involving furry orgies. (I can never hear “Slippage” in quite the same way again.) A third go-around probably would’ve been doomed to repeat the same mistakes more severely.

Seventh Tree starts out strong by running in the opposite direction. “Clowns” and “Little Bird” evoke celestial orbits rather than the seductive underworld of previous releases. They’re also completely free of dancefloor beats, which I think has to take some credit for why the opening salvo is so successful. “Happiness” is a sort of return to the old formula, but it maintains the same general atmosphere nonetheless: the glossy synths and cabaret beat march sprightly to an altogether more upbeat harmony than we’re used to hearing.

It’s when Seventh Tree tries to take a middle road between the electoclash dance pop of Supernature and the new direction from the first few tracks that the results are less convincing. “A & E” and “Caravan Girl” should be the most successful songs on the album, but the beats create inoffensive, middle-of-the-road rhythms that commit the same cardinal sin as Supernature did: they sound like the product of artists who aren’t really trying. “A & E” awakens only during the bridge, but then peters out after a final chorus. Meanwhile, “Caravan Girl” attempts to dazzle with sparkly keyboard effects and a driving beat, but there’s absolutely nothing about the track that inspires any strong feelings. It basically sounds pretty, and not much more.

Goldfrapp’s fourth album is not a failure, exactly, but it feels like one that missed the target. Had Alison and Will stuck to their guns and taken the sound of “Little Bird” and “Clowns” a few steps further, we’d be looking at a great headphones album to sink into. Instead, I’m just waiting to see what Goldfrapp’s next step will be.