Affirmation, I believe in Savage Garden
 Nov 21st, 2008
Advantages:
Great music, superb recording, lyrics, vocals
Disadvantages:
None
Recommendable:
Yes
Detailed rating:
Originality
Lyrics
Quality and consistency of tracks
How does it compare to the artist's other releases
Value for Money
more
  jcneil
About me:
Hi everyone, I am 24 years old and I review on dooyoo under the name of Lakerfanster. I am mainly o...
Member since:16.07.2004
Reviews:126
Members who trust:11
Review rated by 19 Ciao members on average: very helpful 
**Introduction** Darren Hayes is now a solo artist three albums in and Daniel Jones has written for a number of different artists since the breakup of Savage Garden but let's remember the music they made whilst making up the duo of Savage Garden. The story of Savage Garden began when Daniel Jones placed an advertisement in Brisbane newspaper Time Off seeking a vocalist for his five-piece band Red Edge. Darren Hayes became the vocalist and in June 1994 they both left the group to pursue a career together as a duo. The band's name comes from The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice. They released their self titled debut album in 1997 and the followed it up with this album in 1999.
**Affirmation** Affirmation is the second of their two album releases and features the classic singles Crash and Burn, Hold Me and Affirmation and of course the ballad I knew I loved you. It was released on 8th November 1999. It became hugely successful and has sold 13 million records worldwide. The album takes on an overall more soft feel than their debut as the album seems to be more about melodies than all out attack. The album is again produced
by Walter Afanasieff.
1.) Affirmation Starting off with the title track, Affirmation is a fantastic song which has a very catchy feel, it's about having belief in your own opinion's and having the confidence and belief in what you are saying. The beat and keyboards are the highlight of the music on this track.
2.) Hold Me This is a delightfully good ballad about being there for someone when they are feeling low or when they are feeling good. I like the guitar on this track and this track sounds really good. Of of my favourite tracks on Affirmation.
3.) I Knew I Loved You What can I say about this beautiful ballad. This track has the most R&B tinge to it on the album with the drum sequences. This track is about when you meet someone who you know you want to spend the rest of your life with them because they are just perefect in everyway for you.
4.) Best Thing This is a kitch pop song which has a very catchy feel and a great melody. Not quite up there with the best they have done but it isnt a bad pop song for what it's worth. Probably the weakest on the album but it does have a very good melody.
5.) Crash and Burn This has the most epic opening of any of these tracks and then Darren Hayes starts singing and you start getting the feeling that this is a great pop song. It's about needing to Crash and Burn sometimes in life When things are going wrong for you and it's also about being there for someone when they feel down. A great great track.
6.) Chained to You This is a catchy kind of dance pop song which has some rock guitars and a good feel. One of the lesser known Savage Garden tracks but still one you can really enjoy.
7.) Animal Song This is a fantastic track musically as the drums pound in to start the track and then Darren's vocals come in, This is one of the most catchy tracks you are likely to hear and is a fantastic song about wondering what it would be like to live like an animal. This track is a great showcase for Darren Hayes' Falsetto.
8.) Lover After Me This really is an excellent track, this opens with some interesting keyboard sounds and then the guitars come in softly, This is a fantastic pop rock track. One of the best on the album, I just love the way the music flows through on this track. Brilliant.
9.) Two Beds and a Coffee machine This is the most emotive track on the album, A superb ballad about a woman and her kids leaving an abusive relationship, brilliantly sung by Darren Hayes and the piano backing provides the right intimacy needed to get the message of this song across. A fabulous song.
10.) You can still be free This is one of their best ever tracks musically, It starts with a soft but dark feel and then the punchy drum slowly pounds in. The track soon builds up and becomes far rockier as the guitars come in. This shows that they don't just do the catchy pop songs but also fantastic musically brilliant tracks like this one.
11.) Gunning down romance This is another track similar to You Can Still be free in that it is a lot different to their well known singles which are catchy tracks wheareas this is a more serious musical effort. A soft keyboard opening is soon joined by a drum beat which sounds superb and then the guitars come in.
12.) I don't know you anymore This is a great gentle track to end the album with, This is a stripped down track which just features Piano, strings and Darren Hayes' emotive vocals. A really great end to Affirmation about looking back after a relationship ended.
**Overall** This is a fantastic second album from Savage Garden and hints at more of what they could have done if they had stayed as a duo. This is also a stunningly well recorded album which will delight top quality hi-fi setups. Affirmation is a slightly better all round album than Savage Garden. We can't hear any new albums from Savage Garden but this will soften the blow.
Also posted on dooyoo as Lakerfanster
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by (5%):
21.11.2008 23:34
nice review
21.11.2008 23:06
great review aggy
21.11.2008 21:57
Savage garden is one of those kitsch bands that I know I'm not supposed to like - oh but I do! E from me!