Tapeworm
09-30-2004, 10:09 AM
Lamb - Lamb
Mercury Records 1996
http://home.tiscali.se/afghan/covers/lamb_cd_debut_front.jpg
Tracklisting
01 Lusty
02 God Bless
03 Cotton Wool
04 Trans Fatty Acid
05 Zero
06 Merge
07 Gold
08 Closer
09 Gorecki
10 Feela
Lamb
Lamb is Andy Barlow and Louise Rhodes. 'Lamb' is their debut album, and it has been widely publicised that Andy and Lou are very very different people. This brings a fantastic contrast to a lot of songs here.
Band Members:
Andy Barlow - Production and Sampling
Louise Rhodes - Vocals
Paddy Steer & Jon Thorne - Double Bass
The Chainsaw Sisters - Cellos
Steve Christian - Guitar
Graham Massey, courtesy of ZTT Records - Vibraphone
The Review:
01 Lusty
A perfect opener. Starts out with some sampled organ and then a really good trip-hoppish beat kicks in. It dies out for the verse, but only for a second. The beat carries this song, and Lou's vocals drift and flow over everything perfectly. This track gives quite the impression, and has really perfect real/sampled drums. 5/5
02 God Bless
Starts softly again, with some building percussion in the form of those jingly things. It builds up really nicely, and feels epic, even though the build is rather fast. It's a much more subtle beat this time round, and some strings complement the vocal line beautifully. Really nice lyrics. Incredible song. Awesome breakdown which reveals itself as a chorus. 5/5
03 Cotton Wool
The first single, I believe. This song is chaotic. The beat is everywhere. The chaos creeps up on you though, and makes the song, again, perfect. It would have been really easy for the vocals to go all non-melodic to go with the beat in the second verse, but lou's vocals just carry themselves over everything. The lyrics to this song are wonderful also. 5/5
04 Trans Fatty Acid
The first sign of non-perfection on the album. The intro is a bit strange. The verse comes in though, and it is rather cool. This is the longest track on the album. The verses start to get a little drudgy, and then something happens. Well, not much really, but the drumbeat really gets stuck in you. It's quite a good song, but comparatively, nowhere near. 3/5
05 Zero
Probably my favourite track on the album, and one of my favourite songs ever. It starts with some cello picking which is accompanied by another cello and lou's voice. Beauty. A really really really nice chorus comes in. Then something almost happens. But it doesn't. Hold on. Another chorus. Then it happens. My favourite musical moment ever probably. Lou's voice is perfection. 5+/5
06 Merge
A much more electronic based instrumental. The intro repeats a few times, and some trumpet comes in. Probably sampled. It has a really really good feel to it, and it is really laid back, and refreshing. 4/5
07 Gold
Starts with some really cool double bass, and the vocals kick right in. It all comes in wonderfully after a small break, and the melody in the background is cool as hell. Lou's voice is especially cool here. The backing vocals make the song extra special, and it is really well structured. It breaks down with some rad *** electronic stuff, and is very hooky. The half way point is awesome. 5/5
08 Closer
Another really cool beat, with some rather cool lyrics. Lou gives insight into what life is, but then brings is quickly back to earth. Some really beautifully simple lines here, and it works really well. Some more effects double on top for the second verse and give the song a great fullness. 4/5
09 Gorecki
The song. A lot of people know this song. Or at least that's what I've heard. This song is absolutely brilliant. One of the most beautiful and perfect pieces of music I know. There are many moments in this song which give me chills down my spine, and oh, it is just. Wow. An epic love song. My favourite love song ever probably. 5+/5
10 Feela
The song starts with a simple melody. Lou comes in, and the vocal line is great yet again. It is a really good closer on the album, and it seems like Gorecki would have been a better closer, but this song is equally good as a closer. Some background noise hints at a blast, and then a really faint piano is heard playing really fast. It all gets more controlled, and then the cello comes in. Awesome. It stays quiet, and fades out wonderfully.
Secret Track - Cotton Wool (Filia Brazilia Mix)
The secret track starts 2 minutes after Feela ends, and is a remix of Cotton Wool. I really really dig this version. It is just as good as the original version. I really love the changes, and it is hell different.
Frankly, Lamb make me wanna buy a minidisc recorder and sample things. They make me want to play trip-hop, or dance music. They are one of my favourite bands of all time, and this is in my top 10 albums ever. A perfect album as a whole, and a must buy for anyone who is faintly into anything beautiful, scenic, or trip-hoppy.
5/5
Mercury Records 1996
http://home.tiscali.se/afghan/covers/lamb_cd_debut_front.jpg
Tracklisting
01 Lusty
02 God Bless
03 Cotton Wool
04 Trans Fatty Acid
05 Zero
06 Merge
07 Gold
08 Closer
09 Gorecki
10 Feela
Lamb
Lamb is Andy Barlow and Louise Rhodes. 'Lamb' is their debut album, and it has been widely publicised that Andy and Lou are very very different people. This brings a fantastic contrast to a lot of songs here.
Band Members:
Andy Barlow - Production and Sampling
Louise Rhodes - Vocals
Paddy Steer & Jon Thorne - Double Bass
The Chainsaw Sisters - Cellos
Steve Christian - Guitar
Graham Massey, courtesy of ZTT Records - Vibraphone
The Review:
01 Lusty
A perfect opener. Starts out with some sampled organ and then a really good trip-hoppish beat kicks in. It dies out for the verse, but only for a second. The beat carries this song, and Lou's vocals drift and flow over everything perfectly. This track gives quite the impression, and has really perfect real/sampled drums. 5/5
02 God Bless
Starts softly again, with some building percussion in the form of those jingly things. It builds up really nicely, and feels epic, even though the build is rather fast. It's a much more subtle beat this time round, and some strings complement the vocal line beautifully. Really nice lyrics. Incredible song. Awesome breakdown which reveals itself as a chorus. 5/5
03 Cotton Wool
The first single, I believe. This song is chaotic. The beat is everywhere. The chaos creeps up on you though, and makes the song, again, perfect. It would have been really easy for the vocals to go all non-melodic to go with the beat in the second verse, but lou's vocals just carry themselves over everything. The lyrics to this song are wonderful also. 5/5
04 Trans Fatty Acid
The first sign of non-perfection on the album. The intro is a bit strange. The verse comes in though, and it is rather cool. This is the longest track on the album. The verses start to get a little drudgy, and then something happens. Well, not much really, but the drumbeat really gets stuck in you. It's quite a good song, but comparatively, nowhere near. 3/5
05 Zero
Probably my favourite track on the album, and one of my favourite songs ever. It starts with some cello picking which is accompanied by another cello and lou's voice. Beauty. A really really really nice chorus comes in. Then something almost happens. But it doesn't. Hold on. Another chorus. Then it happens. My favourite musical moment ever probably. Lou's voice is perfection. 5+/5
06 Merge
A much more electronic based instrumental. The intro repeats a few times, and some trumpet comes in. Probably sampled. It has a really really good feel to it, and it is really laid back, and refreshing. 4/5
07 Gold
Starts with some really cool double bass, and the vocals kick right in. It all comes in wonderfully after a small break, and the melody in the background is cool as hell. Lou's voice is especially cool here. The backing vocals make the song extra special, and it is really well structured. It breaks down with some rad *** electronic stuff, and is very hooky. The half way point is awesome. 5/5
08 Closer
Another really cool beat, with some rather cool lyrics. Lou gives insight into what life is, but then brings is quickly back to earth. Some really beautifully simple lines here, and it works really well. Some more effects double on top for the second verse and give the song a great fullness. 4/5
09 Gorecki
The song. A lot of people know this song. Or at least that's what I've heard. This song is absolutely brilliant. One of the most beautiful and perfect pieces of music I know. There are many moments in this song which give me chills down my spine, and oh, it is just. Wow. An epic love song. My favourite love song ever probably. 5+/5
10 Feela
The song starts with a simple melody. Lou comes in, and the vocal line is great yet again. It is a really good closer on the album, and it seems like Gorecki would have been a better closer, but this song is equally good as a closer. Some background noise hints at a blast, and then a really faint piano is heard playing really fast. It all gets more controlled, and then the cello comes in. Awesome. It stays quiet, and fades out wonderfully.
Secret Track - Cotton Wool (Filia Brazilia Mix)
The secret track starts 2 minutes after Feela ends, and is a remix of Cotton Wool. I really really dig this version. It is just as good as the original version. I really love the changes, and it is hell different.
Frankly, Lamb make me wanna buy a minidisc recorder and sample things. They make me want to play trip-hop, or dance music. They are one of my favourite bands of all time, and this is in my top 10 albums ever. A perfect album as a whole, and a must buy for anyone who is faintly into anything beautiful, scenic, or trip-hoppy.
5/5