Zero 7

Zero 7 released one of 2001's best albums with their dreamy, ethereal Simple Things, a pitch-perfect blend of golden era R&B and modern coffeeshop electronica. That album was a huge critical and commercial success (especially in their native England, where they were nominated for the prestigious Mercury Prize), so it should come as no surprise that they stick to their winning formula on When it Falls, their long-awaited sophomore effort.

When it Falls is a more focused, conservative record than the ambitious Simple Things, with none of that debut record's little twists and turns like the African chorus on "Likufanele" or the menacing bridge on "Polaris." Instead, Zero 7's chief producer/songwriters, Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker, stick to their strengths -- jazzy, hypnotic grooves showcasing the vocal talents of the group's immensely talented trio of singers, Mozez, Sophie Barker and Sia Furler. Mozez is still the best of the three, a master of soulful restraint perfectly suited to tunes of quiet yearning like "Over Our Heads" and "Morning Song." But Barker and Furler have their moments, especially the sweetly sincere Barker, who really shines on the gorgeous "In Time," the closest thing Binns and Hardaker have crafted yet to a pure pop song. A fourth singer, Tina Dico, makes her Zero 7 debut here, but doesn't fair as well -- her voice is pleasant but too indistinctive for the group's understated vibe.

It's that gift for understatement that remains Zero 7's Achilles heel. Even at its best, When it Falls, like the group's first album, is always just one lush Fender Rhodes chord away from easy listening anonymity. It's not for people who like their music "edgy." For the rest of us, it's the aural equivalent of throwing an old familiar cardigan and taking a lazy stroll through the park on a breezy autumn day. For this brand of downtempo electronica, Zero 7 remains the gold standard. - Andy Hermann

Downbeat acts proceed down the middle of the road at their own peril. While such a path may guarantee them a lucrative career in Starbucks outlets and on crossover compilations, the onset of advanced musicianship and mature songwriting often comes at the expense of artistic ability (see the steady downward fall of Groove Armada for an example). Zero 7, one of the few acts following in the wake of Air that had the talent to match, debuted with a record (Simple Things) that featured some of the warmest, most mellifluous tracks heard in electronic music since Moon Safari. When It Falls, their second record, finds the duo largely sticking to the same formula, with all the sinewy basslines and languorous vocals that follow along. As before, Zero 7 is more of a band than most downbeat acts, with credits for bass, guitar, and drums plus keyboards, brass, flute, and strings. Much of the record is nearly perfect downbeat, and the productions of Zero 7 main men Sam Hardaker and Henry Binns mesh perfectly with the instrumentation -- so well, in fact, that the record threatens to sink into a nether region of pop music that's both flawless and harmless, more adult alternative than electronic pop. There's nothing wrong with that prospect, but when a downbeat act begins to emulate a pop act, the situation practically demands developed songs and tighter hooks. Unfortunately, only a few tracks here meet those criteria. Fortunately, though, they are beautiful indeed. On "Home," new addition Tina Dico summons the downy, pastoral yearning that's become de rigueur for downbeat female vocalists, and the returning Sia Furler shines on a track ("Somersault") that's simultaneously spacy and down-home. Sophie Barker, the star of Simple Things' "Destiny," returns for "In Time," one of the sweetest tracks Zero 7 has ever produced. The rest of the record, however, possesses very few of the unburnished edges needed by albums with character or personality. When It Falls reaches a nadir of sorts on "The Space Between," a pleasant song that unfortunately descends into self-parody over the course of its six minutes -- two minutes of which are taken up by an overripe harmonica solo. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide