Customer Reviews

No You Cmon

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

 

 

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, but it's close.

I must be among the few who feel that No You C'Mon is not as good as Aw C'mon. Lambchop has always been about nuance. Its best moments are not individual songs, but all about creating a mood or an emotion. Kurt Wagner's (a stronger performance here than on Aw C'Mon) gravelly whisper, a string section flourish, a Mark Never's guitar treatment or a cascade of Paul Neihaus steel guitar...elements like this give Lambchop its appeal. This may be why I have such a hard time choosing which Lambchop song to put on a mix tape. A Lambchop song needs the context of an album in order to fully come to life.

While No You C'Mon doesn't meander as much as Aw Cmon and its songs are a little more listener friendly, there aren't as many inspired moments as on Aw.

Like just about all Lambchop releases, there are a handful of memorable moments surrounded by a same-ness of material. I really like "Low Ambition"--sounds like nothing else they have ever recorded and indicates that there still may be new directions for Lambchop to head. And "Nothing Adventurous Please" is IMO the best "faster-louder" song in the band's catalog. "About My Lighter" revisits the alt.country side of the band, to pleasant effect.

I deducted one star simply because "Under The Dream of A Lie" is built around virtually the same riff as "Scamper" (a much better song) from What Another Man Spills.

If you are like me, you have already taken your favorite tracks from Aw and No You, ditched the filler and created your own single CD.

Why make this album when you had a better one "Aw-u c'mon" ready. This was like the additional drudge that didn't make it onto "Aw" (which wasn't that good anyway). Puzzled.

From Nixon on is sheer genius indeed, though I also like the earlier albums. Best lyrics around, and a beautiful mix of instruments. I never tire of Lambchop.

If you want a reference point for Lambchop's music, most of it reminded me of Jimmy Webb-era Glen Campbell music (i.e. gorgeously orchestrated pop with just a dash of country instrumentation) if Glen had been replaced as vocalist by Leonard Cohen. The lead singer, Kurt Wagner, has a gruff, slightly gravelly voice..not unpleasant but not the "usual" pop singer by any means.

The problem with the album, and the reason I only find it "OK" and not 4 or 5 star material, is that there are few tunes that really stick in your memory. There's no "Wichita Lineman" here really, though a few are better than others. I'd rank "Nothing Adventurous Please", the loungey "The Gusher", melancholy "Listen" and instrumental "Jan" as the best bits here.

BOTTOM LINE:
Definitely not one you should just buy without sampling first. It's definitely evocative of "film music" but it just seems so relegated to a certain frame of mind that I can't imagine putting it on very often..it doesn't have that "everyday" quality the best music possesses.

I'd think Leonard Cohen fans would warm to this one most (and perhaps VERY open-minded appreciators of Burt Bacharach's work..)

Don't ask, just listen--on ehadphones, or in a car. preferably one driving at dusk towards something beautiful.