Customer Reviews

Beloved One

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Lou Rhodes was part of a brilliant electronic band called Lamb. The band disbanded and this is her own work, her solo debut.

There are no techno experimentations here, no drum n'bass, just mature, life-affirming songs,expressed from the heart and played mostly with guitars, sometimes there's an exotic fluite, some violin, a bit of a piano...

I can't help but be enveloped, cocooned if i may say with warmth, when i listen to this CD. From the carefully crafted artwork of the album to the last song, this album just leaves me be in peace. I can't help but be embraced by these tunes and the intimacy that permeates this album.

It is spiritual, soft, melodic, soothing and well crafted, clearly the product of soul searching. You can hear all the acoustic instruments well, you can hear the whispery smokey vocals and just enjoy this album from beginning to end.

There's an evident reflective sensitivity to some of the songs that i'm glad i discovered and enjoy on every listen. A trully wonderful solo debut by a singer i've always admired. This US release even comes with 3 wonderful extra tracks. This album was nominated for a mercury prize in England, which is the equivalent of a Grammy in the US. Well done Lou.

Im suprised there was only 1 other review for the former triphop electronica singer from the underrated band lamb. I always loved Lou Rhodes as a singer- her voice has character and a raw sadness- and despite not being a technically great singer- she was always the strength that set Lamb apart from generic triphop based bands throughout the 90s.
Here she leaves behind the drum machines and keyboards for a folk based minimal sound mixing the acoustic guitar with some "real strings" violin cello and some sparse percussion for a great rainy day or Sunday morning comedown record. Some good songwriting heartfelt words and that voice make for a great listen. This was nominated for a Mercury prize in the uk and will prove to be rather timeless- more so than her old band. Guests include members of Portishead and her old cohort in Lamb though this sounds nothing like either band- in actuality very close to The Rustin man project that Portishead singer Beth Gibbons released a few years back. This is traditional english folk music- somber and laidback with no real attempt for the charts- in other words real songs by an artist entering a new phase of her life. Personally i feel this is better than 95% percent of the female singer songwriter stuff thats been released over the last 10 years or so. A keeper and a steal for the used amazon prices.

Lou Rhodes was part of a brilliant electronic band called Lamb. The band disbanded and this is her own work, her solo debut. There are no techno experimentations here, no drum n'bass, just mature, life-affirming songs,expressed from the heart and played mostly with guitars, sometimes there's an exotic fluite, some violin, a bit of a piano...
I can't help but be enveloped, cocooned if i may say with warmth, when i listen to this CD. From the carefully crafted artwork of the album to the last song, this album just leaves me be in peace. I can't help but be embraced by these tunes -the embracing cover is quite indicative of the intimacy that permeates this album. It is spiritual, soft, melodic, soothing and well crafted, clearly the product of soul searching. You can hear all the acoustic instruments well, you can hear the whispery smokey vocals and just enjoy this album from beginning to end.
There's an evident reflective sensitivity to some of the songs that i'm glad i discovered and enjoy on every listen. A trully wonderful solo debut by a singer i've always admired.

Lou Rhodes creates a tender album that speaks to a maturing audience, if you connect to Nick Drake or early Joni Mitchell or Damien Rice you will find this album to be a beautiful and personal journey. Well worth the import price, just pure and from the soul and what a beautiful soul. Patrick, New Orleans

Lou Rhodes fulfilled all my expectations for her with her solo debut...absolutely stunning, rich, gorgeous vocals, well constructed songs, an album that makes me hit repeat and listen to both songs in repetition as well as playing the entire album again back to back (which i almost never do).

truly a gem :)

Lou Rhodes separated from Lamb: and the result is for the better. Her voice and music are now in complete harmony, her voice is even more mesmerizing, the music will put your mind at ease when you listen to it (no more extremly complicated rhythms that can make you feel uneasy). Lots of Irish influences. Stunningly beautiful.

Ruben Karemaker, The Hague

Lou has been 1 of my top artists all-time, over 10 yrs now, since the start of lamb. 'Beloved One' is yet another brilliant extension of her illustrious musical career; + it's the 1st release off of her self-created label 'infinite bloom' ! Gorgeous in EVERY way.. it will be a beautiful add to your CD collection !

btw can't believe I'm the 1st review ??