Album Review: In the Garden of Good

Boy, those Savage Garden guys sure know what to sing to make a girl swoon. If you've liked what you've heard from their first album ("Truly Madly Deeply"), then Daniel Jones and Darren Hayes' second is a must-buy, especially for any cheesy romantic. With its honest lyrics and catchy tunes, the latest release by the Australian duo is consistent with the quality of their first album (tell me "I Want You," with its chic-a-cherry-cola random lyrics didn't ingratiate itself into your head). If you've liked them, you'll love them again. If not--well, then don't even bother.

Their new album is a collection of 12 songs, each written by Jones and Hayes. Recorded in San Francisco and New York (as opposed to the one-bedroom setup in rural Oz of their first album), Affirmation leans towards slow tunes, which show off the clever, real-life related lyrics and dynamic vocal harmony of the duo. The instrumental work is awesome as well, especially where the beat picks up in some of the faster dance songs.

The first single, "I Knew I Loved You," is a good ballad and shows off Hayes' falsetto nicely, but it's only a mild reflection of how poetic the rest of the album is. Affirmation deals not only with romance, but also with the real-life consequences of love and the pain that follows it. As their titles indicate, "I Don't Know You Anymore" and "The Lover After Me" aspire to this more reality-based love song, even though the soft beats and harmony make the melody very pretty. But it's "Two Beds and a Coffee Machine" that truly establishes a connection with the listener, depicting as it does a housewife in an abusive relationship dealing with the emotional and physical trauma of trying to raise her kids while barely surviving. Indeed, "Affirmation" lives up to its name: each of the songs in the album has something to teach and affirm about life itself.

The best thing though is that Savage Garden still rocks. "The Animal Song" (previously released on the soundtrack for The Other Sister) is an amazingly entertaining song. Its colorful lyrics and jungle-like drumming makes you want to jump up and prance around like a little kid. The album opens with the title song, which is chock-full of fast beats, dance rhythms and excellent use of electric guitar. (Or, as Jones calls it, "'I Want You" on an adrenaline rush.") It also has clever lines. My favorite: "I believe that junk food tastes so good because it's bad for you/I believe that beauty magazines promote low self-esteem." Go Savage Garden! Down with Vogue!

Funny, intelligent lyrics, coupled with great vocals and infectious production? Cue swooning.