Customer Reviews

What Sound: Deluxe Edition

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

When Lamb released their much anticipated album What Sound internationally at the end of 2001, I was waiting with abted breathe that they will get some airing in the States like their 1st 2 albums, but there was no such luck with the typically poor performance of these non-mainstream bands. Polygram did not release this. It was a disappointment that such a great piece of music was let to waste.

Well at least some record company has finally picked this up to release. Better late than never I suppose. The album is truly an extension of their excellent 1999 album Fear of Fours. Here, Loiuse Rhodes sing with hanuting chill on the first single Gabriel which also comes with a slew of delicious remixes. Second single Sweet is riveting in its original form and made even more upbeat and energetic in the remixed single version. What I like best on this album is the title track, One and Written, the latter with trademarks of producer extraordinarie Guy Sigsworth (who has worked with Bjork, Manadalay, Madonna & Imogen Heap).

The album alternates between electronica and drum and bass with intercepting trip hop. To sweeten the deal, Koch Records included the videos for the singles Gabriel and Sweet which would otherwise not be seen anywhere in the US. (this is what record companies should do by putting CD/DVD combos to win back consumers!) There are also 4 remixed tracks here and I shan't say more than what the other reviewers had said.

Lamb. In one word is just AMAZING. This is the first album i have heard from them and can i just say that it blew me away. You can tell that alot of thought went into the writing of this album. The standout track is by far "Gabriel", perhaps the most emotional song that lamb ever created and rivals "Gorecki" from the first album. Other standout tracks are "I Cry", "Heaven", "What Sound". "One" is a creepy love story between two lovers. The Only track that i am not fond of is "Night has a thousand eyes". Other than that, excellent. It also comes with 4 bonus tracks. They are Gabriel(Nellee Hooper Edit), Gabriel(DJ Cole Mix), "Blessing in Disguise" and "Night has a thousand eyes". It is dissapointing that instead of night of a thousand eyes, the b side "Random" wasnt put in place of that. If you were unhappy with "Fear of Fours" you will not be let down by this album it feels like Lamb has gone back to its original core and sound that it had in its first album. This Deluxe Edition comes with a special DVD with the videos to "Gabriel" and "Sweet". The "Gabriel" video is complete eye candy and amazing. "Sweet" is just ok.... i think its hilarious though. Youll see what i mean when you get it... Anyway, the DVD also comes with 4 remixes of audio and when played promotional pictures are flashing across the scene to the music, nice touch. All in all, I am very pleased with Lamb's 3rd album which is absolutely amazing out of the first two. I am eagerly awaiting the 4th creation...

After hearing Lamb's self-titled debut and falling perfectly in love with Andy and Lou's unique sound, I bought everything Lamb there is to buy...which is not very much.

This release is second best to the debut in my opinion. If you have the debut ((totally essential)) and thirst for more, What Sound is the way to go. Like the first album, it stands at the confluence between popular vocal music and IDM/drum'n'bass electronica. Several songs on this album (Sweetheart being the best) trend toward the hard electronic, as Cottonwool did on the debut; also present are more mainstream-sounding songs (What Sound, Gabriel) that may please Gorecki fans. Unlike "Lamb," however, "What Sound" took a while to grow on me. At first listen, I was dissapointed---now, I listen to the first disc as much as I do the debut, and Sweetheart is one of my favorite Lamb songs.

That brings up the second disc. In general, the remixes are bad. Bad. The only one which appeals to me is the Fila Brazilia mix of Cottonwool, which is the hidden track off of the first album. The live versions are worth listening to, though, making the Deluxe Edition somewhat worth having.

Overall, a good purchase for established Lamb fans. If you haven't heard the duo before, check out their self-titled debut.

This CD, like Bjork's "Vespertine", is the perfect album to listen to before going to bed (either solo or with company). Except for "Scratch Bass" (an up-tempo slice of electronica), the songs on this album are dreamy, seductive lullabies that help you drift off to the realm of the subconscious. Fans of the HBO series "Six Feet Under" might recognize my favorite track, the gorgeous "Heaven", from promos for their second season. Listening to Lamb beats counting sheep any day.

Lamb has been known to bounce all over the spectrum of electro-anthems, sometimes introducing the soothing sensations of a melodically calming voice into a fray that was previously lorded over by maddening beats and sometimes taking something beautiful and crafting a lovely rendition of madness around it. This seems to be one of their multiple talents; to take strange components and to make beauty out of them. Still, compared to the previous releases by the band, "What Sound" is something of a tame homage to the spectacles of the past. This isn't to say that it is bad in any way because that is far from the case, it is just that this calmer, less chaotic adaptation of ethereally haunting sounds came as somewhat of a surprise. Worse still, it came as a surprise that many people missed. The series Six Feet Under, aired on HBO, actually brought this album to light somewhat by adding the hauntingly surreal track "heaven" into their list of songs. Before then, many of Lamb's US audience weren't aware that Fear of Fours had been supplanted by something newer. This was a sad affair, too, because the album is actually a nice progression in the evolution of a talented duo.

Some of the songs here are haunting in their own rights and some are simply flavors that I have to be in the mood for, making it a difficult album for me to work all the way through in one setting. Still, I can't leave the album alone because there are so many pieces showcased herein that are wonderful works of art, done with almost surreal vocals and sometimes surprisingly soothing instrumentation. This is especially true of "Heaven," which seems almost spectral in its haunting mix of vocals and sounds, and in the love song to her angel, "Gabriel." Others take different approaches and achieve the same ends, like the bizarre inclusion of "I cry," for instance, which is something somber that is placed to an oddly achieved minimalist beat, or both "Sweetheart" and "Small," which use a strange array of incorporated sounds to forge oddly catchy beats. This isn't to say that the album is without accelerated tempos either, because "scratch Bass" moves along nicely and even "Sweet" does so to a lesser extend. Still, if you're expecting the same versions of Lamb you've seen before, this is something using a different approach. - Also included with the re-release is a second album filled with remixes, something I won't cover because, well, they are simply old songs with new masks to wear.

Its hard to recommend this to fans of Lamb, because some people simply do not seem to like it. I'm not certain why, exactly, because the album still has most of the major components that the other albums had within them. I personally find it highly enjoyable and liked "Lamb" and "Fear of Fours" as well, but would tell anyone thinking of purchasing it to reset their mindset first. Then, you will find something that is enjoyable on another in ways you liked and new ways as well.

I have always been a listener to every sort of music,but also have always had a taste for the slower sadder, more moody and "pretty" type of music, so when I discovered Lamb I was more then delighted, I was in a heavenly state of happiness, bringing the meloncholy sound to mesh with the dark , fast and feel good. Something new for the ears with this album. If you like electronic music or are just getting a starting taste of it I'd hope for your sake that you'd run across this album. This is a cd that all the songs become one and you put on repeat all for hours. I love Lamb and their ability too take such original rythms and sounds and mesh them so beautifully with electronic and lisa rhodes, more than unique vocals. This album really did something to me that other cd's just can't compare to..for an exceptional Lamb listener looking for a newer album or just someone seeking new music to listen to, i recomend this cd. Just fantastically Beeautiful. A Brilliant canvas of sound........What is that sound?

Lamb seem to be one of those groups where it's very hard to find a middle ground on.Their major influence seems to have been from Bristol's trip-hop groups like Massive Attack and Portishead.They have received criticism from artists such as Tricky in the past,yet they have collaborated with members of Portishead.The sound of this album is much closer to Portishead then Tricky.In many ways this album is the same as regards not having a middleground.At times they create some of the most beautiful tracks I've heard in the last year.Examples of this would be the title track-all the mood and atmosphere of Goldfrapp-beautiful synth effects backed up by amazing strings.You can also add in some very experimental elements of music as the song takes off-it almost sounds a bit off key-they sound industrial,but it's all held together by Lou Rhodes rich vocals and a swirling string section.The first single Gabriel is very similar.It starts off very quietly-synths like you'd hear on Bjorks last c.d.,gentle acoustic guitar and them some really cool guitar effects.This song is almost Boleroesque in the way it builds up and up.The voclas are really beautiful and it's one of the best chill out songs you'll hear all year.The second track has the string effects and heavy moog sound heard from the likes of Portishead.Like many of the tracks here it builds up very gradually as the layered effects begin to take shape.Track 3 "Sweet" is also superb and it so reminds me of Curve's amazing Doppleganger c.d. from the mid 90's.It's a long time since I've heard that sound-she even matches the same disaffected vocal style so familiar with Toni Halliday.Track 5 is like Curve also-but at their most minimalist-a basic drum beat backed up by quiet synth effects.The track then sees more layers of drum machine,a chugging bassline.The only dissappointing element to this song is that you're constantly expecting the track to explode,but they just seem to be teasing the listener and it always remains a very laidback track.Track 5 is the most varied on the c.d.Basically it's an instrumental-almost like a dance track in the trance mode.The synths and the effects sound quite outdated-you know you could have heard some of this stuff on a Jarre c.d.

On the negative side there are some tracks that just never seem to really take off.It's like they're verging on being very special but something seems to hold this group back.You never know whether they wanted to write a truly commercial c.d. or a totally experimental one.Sometimes I think they may have been a little to careful on this c.d. and a bolder effort would have paid greater dividends.But any group that can produce the sublime Gorecki and Gabriel have got to be worth a listen.Maybe their next c.d. will be a more ambitious effort.

Arriving on the Trip-Hop scene amidst the electronica bonanza of 1996, the sonic innovations of Lamb may have gotten lost within the shuffle of all the Morsheeba,
Sneaker Pimps, and the many other acts feeding off Portishead's already consumed carcasse. But true talent shows resiliance, and Lamb has managed to sustain its'
presence mostly in their inclusion on many compilations, from Cafe del Mar to the Kruder and Dorfmeister sessions. "What sound" is their third and most achieved album
to date. With little concern to what may be in style this season, Andy Barlow krafts his usual beat maestria around Louise Rhodes' gripping emotional voice, into songs
about love and desire, and the loss of innocense, with the candor of a child, and the wisdom of womanhood. The brooding mood somehow always manages to finish on the
uplift, choosing honnesty over drama, humility over rightousness. The intensity of the production is supported by amazing sting arrangements, as well as the musical
talents of Guy Sigsworth(Bjork, Gus Gus), Me'Shell Ndegeocello, Michael franti, and Arto Lindsay.

I really adore this group. I was introduced to them by a friend in NYC that DJ's and has worked with them. I first heard their debut back in '96 and was instantly hooked. I got the rare fortune of meeting them on their tour in '99. Although I don't care for the album it was promoting (Fear of Fours) it was an incredible show and they are so nice and genuine. I love this album though, it has depth and quality. I do regret buying it on new & on import .. instead of waiting for this package to come out. I don't know if I should buy it again for the second disc? I am aching to hear the mixes and see the "Sweet" video, but I just don't know. Anyhow, I would strongly recommend this to any Trip-Hop, Drum & Base, or just fan of good music. So original, so beautiful.

Lamb is a wonderful, unique sounding group. Deep drum & bass beats lie underneath beautiful melodies... and Louise has an incredibly raw-sounding voice.
Their third album, "What Sound", while a good album, pales in comparison to their first two. If you are already a fan, than i do reccommend it... but if this is to be your first Lamb purchase, i recommend their first, self-titled album.
The second disc in the Australian double disc import contains 5 remixes of songs from their earlier albums... they're pretty good, and well worth the extra cost of the import.
(And if you can find it, the single for "Gabriel," the first single off of the new album "What Sound," has a really fun dance remix of the song... also worth it!)