Simple Things
Studio album by
Zero 7
Released23 April 2001 (2001-04-23)[1]
Genre
Length61:14
LabelUltimate Dilemma
ProducerZero 7
Zero 7 chronology
EP 2
(2000)		 Simple Things
(2001)		 Another Late Night: Zero 7
(2002)
Singles from Simple Things
  1. "I Have Seen"
    Released: 4 June 2001[2]
  2. "Destiny"
    Released: 6 August 2001[3]
  3. "End Theme (Roni Size Remixes)"
    Released: 22 October 2001[4]
  4. "In the Waiting Line"
    Released: 5 November 2001[5]
  5. "Distractions"
    Released: 18 March 2002[6]

Simple Things is the debut studio album by Zero 7, released on 23 April 2001. It peaked at number 28 on the UK Albums Chart, staying on the chart for 56 weeks.[7] It was nominated for the Mercury Prize.[8]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[9]
Alternative Press9/10[10]
The Boston Phoenix[11]
Muzik4/5[12]
NME8/10[13]
Pitchfork5.3/10[14]
Rolling Stone[15]
Spin8/10[16]

Tim DiGravina of AllMusic gave the album 4 stars out of 5, calling it "an accomplished slice of soulful genius that rewards frequent spins."[9] He said, "the duo of Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker mix a number of musical elements, such as soul-influenced diva vocals, gurgling and ringing keyboards, and classical string arrangements, into a relaxing, potent wave of sounds."[9] Matt Diehl of Rolling Stone gave the album 3.5 stars out of 5, saying, "More like jazz on acid than acid jazz, Simple Things can be hallucinatory yet eminently listenable; it's chill-out music with a little something for your mind as well."[15] For Rob Mitchum, writing for Pitchfork, the album was too similar to Air's Moon Safari.[14]

Track listing

Source:[17]

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."I Have Seen" (The Peddlers cover)Roy Phillips5:07
2."Polaris"
  • Henry Binns
  • Sam Hardaker
4:48
3."Destiny"
5:38
4."Give It Away"
  • Henry Binns
  • Sam Hardaker
5:17
5."Simple Things"
4:24
6."Red Dust"
  • Henry Binns
  • Sam Hardaker
5:40
7."Distractions"
  • Henry Binns
  • Sam Hardaker
  • Sia Furler
5:16
8."In the Waiting Line"
  • Henry Binns
  • Sam Hardaker
  • Sophie Barker
4:35
9."Out of Town"
  • Henry Binns
  • Sam Hardaker
4:48
10."This World"
  • Henry Binns
  • Sam Hardaker
  • Osmond Wright
5:37
11."Likufanele"
  • George Martin
  • Primrose Nyoka
  • Zandile Mayekiso
6:24
12."End Theme"Daryl Runswick3:38
Total length:61:14
US edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
13."Salt Water Sound"
  • Henry Binns
  • Sam Hardaker
5:30
14."Spinning"
  • Henry Binns
  • Sam Hardaker
  • Sophie Barker
6:03
Total length:74:47
Japanese edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
13."Salt Water Sound"
  • Henry Binns
  • Sam Hardaker
5:30
14."Spinning"
  • Henry Binns
  • Sam Hardaker
  • Sophie Barker
6:03
15."Monday Night"
  • Henry Binns
  • Sam Hardaker
6:55
Total length:79:39
Australian edition bonus disc
No.TitleLength
1."Destiny (Photek Remix)"7:13
2."In the Waiting Line (Dorfmeister Con Madrid De Los Austrias Dub)"6:42
3."Spinning Dub"5:25
4."In the Waiting Line (Aquanote's Naked Adaption)"6:43
5."Salt Water Sound"5:32
6."End Theme (Roni's Tear It Down Remix)"7:58
Total length:38:22
  • "In the Waiting Line" appeared in the season 6 episode, "The Domino Effect" on Sex and the City, in the season 3 episode of House (Needle in a Haystack), and in the 2004 film Garden State.
  • "Destiny" appeared in the 2002 film Blue Crush, as well as the 2009 film Obsessed.
  • “Give It Away” was used as a background track on the CBBC show SMart when sharing viewers artwork that had been sent in, the previous week.

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.

  • Zero 7 – production, mixing
  • Demus – mixing (3, 5)
  • Mozez – vocals (1, 5, 10)
  • Sia Furler – vocals (3, 7)
  • Sophie Barker – vocals (3, 8, 14)
  • Philani Mothers - vocals (11)
  • Dedi Madden – guitar (1, 7, 8)
  • Allan Simpson – guitar (3, 4, 6)
  • Phil Thornalley – guitar (9), bass guitar (9)
  • Pete Trotman – bass guitar (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 12)
  • Max Beesley – Rhodes piano (5)
  • The Brilliant Strings – strings (1, 4, 5, 6, 12)
  • Sally Herbert – violin (1, 7, 10, 11)
  • Graeme Stewart – trumpet (4, 6)
  • Simon Elms – trumpet (9)
  • Dan Litman – flute (6)
  • Jeremy Stacey – drums (1, 8, 12)
  • Miggi Barradas – drums (4)
  • Ollie Savill – percussion (2)
  • Jenny Arrel – percussion (11)
  • House – design

Charts

Certifications and sales

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[24] Platinum 300,000^
United States — 165,000[25]
Summaries
Worldwide — 800,000[26]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ↑ "New Releases – For Week Starting April 23, 2001: Albums". Music Week. 21 April 2001. p. 22.
  2. ↑ "New Releases – For Week Starting June 4, 2001: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 2 June 2001. p. 23. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  3. ↑ Evans, Beverley (18 August 2001). "Airborne" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 19, no. 34. p. 18. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  4. ↑ "New Releases – For Week Starting October 22, 2001: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 20 October 2001. p. 29. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  5. ↑ "New Releases – For Week Starting November 5, 2001: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 3 November 2001. p. 29. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  6. ↑ "New Releases – For Week Starting 18 March 2002: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 16 March 2002. p. 30. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  7. 1 2 "Zero 7". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  8. ↑ Simpson, Dave (27 July 2001). "Who the hell are... The Mercury nominees?". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  9. 1 2 3 DiGravina, Tim. "Simple Things – Zero 7". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
  10. ↑ "Zero 7: Simple Things". Alternative Press (163): 82. February 2002.
  11. ↑ Lefler, John (2–9 May 2002). "Zero 7: Simple Things (Quango/Palm)". The Boston Phoenix. Archived from the original on 4 April 2004. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  12. ↑ Moore, Ralph (May 2001). "Zero 7: Simple Things (Ultimate Dilemma)". Muzik (72): 65.
  13. ↑ Needham, Alex (5 April 2001). "Zero 7: Simple Things". NME. Archived from the original on 13 April 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  14. 1 2 Mitchum, Rob (15 April 2002). "Zero 7: Simple Things". Pitchfork. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
  15. 1 2 Diehl, Matt (6 December 2001). "Zero 7: Simple Things". Rolling Stone. No. RS 883/884. ISSN 0035-791X. Archived from the original on 1 October 2007. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
  16. ↑ Clover, Joshua (September 2001). "Zero 7: Simple Things". Spin. 17 (9): 160. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  17. ↑ Simple Things (booklet). Zero 7. Ultimate Dilemma Records. 2001.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. ↑ "Zero 7: Top Dance/Electronic Albums". Billboard. Archived from the original on 20 May 2018. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  19. ↑ "Zero 7: Heatseekers Albums". Billboard. Archived from the original on 21 May 2018. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  20. ↑ "Zero 7: Independent Albums". Billboard. Archived from the original on 20 May 2018. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  21. ↑ "The Official UK Albums Chart 2001" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  22. ↑ "Canada's Top 200 Alternative albums of 2002". Jam!. Archived from the original on 2 September 2004. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  23. ↑ "UK Year-End Charts 2002" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  24. ↑ "British album certifications – Zero 7 – Simple things". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 20 June 2018. Select albums in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type Simple things in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  25. ↑ "New Zero 7 Album 'Falls' In Marc". Billboard. 12 May 2003. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  26. ↑ Sexton, Paul (21 February 2004). "Keeping British Music Vital". Billboard. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
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