Customer Reviews

Aw Cmon

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I first encountered Lambchop through listening to the "Relax Trax" channel on Spinner.com. Every once in a while I'd hear a song that made me think, "Hey, this vocalist sounds like a more melodic Lou Reed or Leonard Cohen," and when I would click on the banner to see who it was, I'd always find it to be Lambchop. The resemblance to Reed and Cohen doesn't just stop with Kurt Wagner's gravelly (though quite appealing) vocals, either. The songs on the album are more intellectual than most modern music out there today. Take, for example, just the title of track 9, "Women help to create the kind of man they despise." I use this as an example of self-fulfilling prophecies when I teach social psychology to my undergraduates. For a thoughtful, mellow, enjoyable listening experience, give Lambchop a try.

Reading reviews is so rarely helpful for the curious and uninitiated. The only way you'll ever know if you enjoy Lambchop's work here is to pick the disc up and listen. These two new albums are my first real exposure to the band and all I have to say is...if the earlier stuff is really that much better, then I've got a real treat in store.

Aw Cmon is the cream to No You Cmon's coffee. It's smooth and subtle and if played low enough is great for lounging. Turn it up, however, and you'll find yourselves wrapped up in the lyrics. These are not the non-sensical ear-catching melodies of The Cocteau Twins nor the eclectic story-songs of Bob Dylan, but Lambchop, nonetheless, belongs in such company. They have their own unique style of lyrics that's really unlike anything else I've encountered.

Maybe I'm a little too drunk...or maybe it's a little too early in the morning...but some of Lambchop's lyrics seem like they've been crafted by cutting up the fortunes from Chinese cookies and mixing the words around. The thoughts are a jumble of random details and disconnected phrases somehow glued together by Kurt Wagner's phrasing and the catchy tunes into something coherent, yet still surreal.

In short, Aw Cmon is an excellent album that can serve many purposes for the adventurous listner. Even the instrumentals are so finely crafted that you (nearly) won't lament the lack of KW's vocal rattle and hum. I reserve one star simply because, as good as this is, I feel Lambchop's potential is far greater than what's presented here. Perhaps, as some have stated in other reviews here, they reached it several albums ago...or perhaps the best is yet to come. Time will tell.

I won't lie. Kurt Wagner's vocal stylings are very much an acquired taste. If you like a country Iggy Pop or a slightly more in tune Lou Reed, then Kurt is for you. He looks like Hank Hill off King Of The Hill as well. It's the songwriting, musicianship, orchestral arrangments and clever lyrics that mark him apart really. If you are unsure about his singing, give the instrumentals "Timothy B Schmidtt" or "The Lone Official" a listen. Some of the orchestral arrangements on songs such as "Steve McQueen", "Nothing But A Blur From A Bullet Train", "Something's Going On" or "I Hate Candy" are amazing. There is a nice lounge jazz piano accompaniment on many of the tunes as well. I can understand the point of Lambchop. It's to give Nashville country a good kick in the ass. I think "Aw C'mon" or "No You C'mon" are good starting points if you want to investigate Lambchop. Most of the songs are good

I have all of Lambchop CDs and I still can't figure out what they're about. When I heard that they were releasing two separate albums on the same day I serious wondered whether this was "jump the shark" time. It's not.

AwCmon continues on in the vein of Nixon and Is A Woman, toning down the excessive strings of the former while adding a few sonic elements that were missing on the later. The latest "twist" is that there are more instrumentals than 'chop fans are used to.

For the most part everything works, although I can't help feeling that Kurt Wagner has been rewriting and re-arranging the same song since, oh, 1997. (There is some serious self-plagiarization on No You Cmon, but I'll save that for another review). Somehow the production (top notch as usual) comes off as austere and glossy at the same time. The instrumentals are okay (Timothy Schmidt being the most satisfying), but when you consider that this is, taken with No You Cmon, for all intents and purposes a double album, they serve as filler.

Wagner's voice is again a problem. No falsetto, but he mumbles, grumbles and spits out lyrics in a muffled staccato voice a lot here. He sounds like he doesn't want to be heard on much of this release. No matter how he sings it sounds affected.

Oh yeah...songs. Not bad, it sounds like a lot of work went into the arrangments. Something's Gotta Give and I Hate Candy are pretty good, nice and smooth. Action Figure is another highlight. There may be better Lambchop albums, but for my money there is not a better 8 minutes of Lambchop music on record than the atmospheric Nothing But A Blur From a Bullet Train, immediately followed by Each Time I Bring It Up It Seems To Bring You Down, a magical song that interrupts itself after each verse with a Disney-esque fanfare. Those songs, plus the above mentioned Action Figure make this release worth the price. I just wish the other songs were as good.

A reassuring piece of art that provides proof that American contemporary musicians can be quiet, intellectual, and sexy.

This music is truly beautiful. Unfortunately it is described as "alt.country" by many music sites. I disagree entirely. I think Lambchop's sound is more Jazz... Jazz-rock I guess. Just because they are from Nashville doesn't mean they are country.

The band consists of many musicians. A small orchestra makes the beautiful sounds to back up vocalist Kurt Wagner's deep, slightely gravelly melancholy sound.

If you have taste at all like mine or many that I know, I guarentee that you will fall in love with this breathy, whole, smooth sound.

Part of the wonder of Lambchop is that they always seem to evolve (hard not too with 12-13 members in the band) yet they never seem to move that far from home. This is a really tight collection of tracks that puts alot more emphasis upon the music than the lyrics. The introduction of instrumental tracks along with strings and sparse lyrics creates a different feel from more recent Lambchop albums (Is A Woman). This album feels like a slow walk where you begin to notice things in life you previously missed. Really a strong work - perfect for summers on the porch.

Lambchop's masterpiece album Nixon whetted my appetite for greatness but I must say their subsequent albums have proven disappointing. Yes, there is the melancholy twang and Wagner's plaintive, almost lugubrious singing but the trap is that all their songs are starting to sound like the same song. They're pretty much singing the same aching, slow, down on their luck song over and over again. Everything Wagner sings sounds like an inferior variation of his most lovely ballads from Nixon, especially his wonderful song, "The Old Gold Shoe." If you don't believe me, play post-Nixon albums and I'm confident you'll agree. Or perhaps you like hearing "The Old Gold Shoe" over and over in all its mutations. If so, this album is for you.

Inspiration is lacking on this one "Is a Woman" is far superior.

Sorry,but this sucks! after reaching their zenith with"what another man spills",its been all down hill!these latest two cds continue the same horrible soul/lounge music,as "nixon"and"is a woman",but much worse!we went from a good ameicana/soul mix,to burt bacharach!if thats your cup of tea,then all the power to ya!