[DLeeWebb]

I did a search on Lambchop and they seem to be popular with many Head-Fiers. I am looking for a somwhat deeper description of their music than I have been able to locate. I'm definitely not a country fan, but I have been really getting into groups that are apparently often referred to as Alternative-Country. (Califone, Sixteen Horsepower, Woven Hand...) I am wondering if I might like Lambchop and I'm thinking of making an "exploratory" purchase. Any advice from any established fans of Lambchop would be appreciated...

 

[antiant]

i'm not a 'fan' of lambchop although i got this remix they did called "up with the people (Zero 7 Remix)" (i LOVE that song btw) and i got their album Nixon (the original of that song is on this album), i think you should check it out, i HATE country, but they actually aren't that bad and yeah it's more like 'alternative-country' not that twangy shyt...honestly if i had to describe them myself i'd call them something like "chillout country" hahaha...they're just nice to chill too, kind of subtle (i'm basing this off Nixon btw, i haven't heard any other albums yet)

 

[VicAjax]

i'm a big fan of their album What Another Man Spills. it goes from moody, surreal twang to fantastic, quirky covers of Curtis Mayfield and Frederick Knight. and it finishes it up with a hilarious rave-up version of "The Theme from the Neil Miller Show."

 

[s m @]

Yeah, I'd highly recommend you go out and get What Another Man Spills, it'll give you a good taste of what they're about and is a great album that I'd think almost anyone would enjoy.

Honestly, I really think that most of the country association is solely b/c they're from Nashville. They don't sound too country to me at all. At most it's one of a whole bunch of influences. Their major influence (to me) is clearly soul. They usually have a large number of players in the band, with a string section. The only thing I can really imagine anyone not liking about them is Kurt Wagner's vocal style, which is extremely mannered, but then again I like it and haven't ever heard anyone complain about it either... that and his lyrics are slightly quirky, but good. I'd give more album reco's, but I think that one is definitely the one to start with since it gives a good representation of all aspects of their sound and is probably their best as well. If you like it I'm sure everybody can provide more help.

 

[camille]

i dove in also w/ an 'exploratory purchase' w/ the double album "Aw C'mon" and "No You C'mon". from all accounts they weren't disappointing, but not fantastic though. i was expecting a bit of country flavour from those albums, and there seems to be none such (not even alt-country). i'll give it another listen and it might change my mind.

hmm, i should check out that "What Another Man Spills" album, as well as "Nixon"

what do you guys think of the album "Is A Woman"?

 

[s m @]

^^^I love Is a Woman. The only reason I wouldn't really reco it as a first buy is that it's just SO consistently mellow that it's not that representative of their sound. But it's great. As an aside, a good friend of mine played that album during the dinner at his wedding... but we didn't know how to work the jukebox so it ended up shuffled with Miles Smiles, which was funny.

 

[dehory]

Quote:

Originally Posted by VicAjax /img/forum/go_quote.gif i'm a big fan of their album What Another Man Spills. it goes from moody, surreal twang to fantastic, quirky covers of Curtis Mayfield and Frederick Knight. and it finishes it up with a hilarious rave-up version of "The Theme from the Neil Miller Show."

Excellent recommendation. Thriller is also a great album.

 

[zumaro]

I would buy What Another Man Spills, Thriller and then Damaged in that order. Last on my list would be Nixon and Is A Woman, definitely their weakest albums (although still pretty good).

 

[DLeeWebb]

Thanks for all of the great advice. I haven't listened to them yet but I bought, "what another man spills," (seems to be a practically unanimous recommendation...) and "The Decline Of Country & Western Civilization" (sounded interesting according to a couple of online reviews...I hope that I don't hate it!) We'll see....

 

[Sordel]

Awcmon/Noyoucmon, Nixon and Is a Woman are the best IMHO. What Another Man Spills, despite the Grateful Dead reference, doesn't do it for me and I find their new album absolutely awful. If I could only keep one I'd keep Is A Woman which,to Lambchop, is what Seven Swans is to Sufjan Stevens.

 

[s m @]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DLeeWebb /img/forum/go_quote.gif I bought, "what another man spills," (seems to be a practically unanimous recommendation...) and "The Decline Of Country & Western Civilization"

I'm particularly interested in what you think of The Decline..., since I don't have it. It was one of those things I didn't get around to b/c I just have so much stuff by them. What say you?

 

[DLeeWebb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by s m @ /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm particularly interested in what you think of The Decline..., since I don't have it. It was one of those things I didn't get around to b/c I just have so much stuff by them. What say you?

sm,
When I get a chance to listen to "Decline..." and compare it with "What Another Man Spills" (which is first on the list...) I'll definitely get back to you.

 

[DLeeWebb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by s m @ /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm particularly interested in what you think of The Decline..., since I don't have it. It was one of those things I didn't get around to b/c I just have so much stuff by them. What say you?

SM,
I really don't know how to comment on "The Decline Of Country & Western Civilization." (...or on Lambchop for that matter...) I'm at a loss for descriptive comments. What an eclectic sound. Now I understand why people who are familiar with their music have such difficulty classifying, or catagorizing them into a specific musical genre. The first song on "What Another Man Spills" ("Interrupted") was the first song of theirs that I ever heard. I thought, "man, this is a jazz band." A couple of songs later the vocals and the pedal steel made me cringe and think that I was listening to an old country & western recording. It's going to take me awhile to digest their sound to develop a more valid opinion. I bought these two albums as an exploratory purchase. Overall, at least for now, I don't plan further exploration. "What Another Man Spills" is certainly the more cohesive effort. "The Decline Of Country & Western Civilization" is primarily a compilation of B-sides and unreleased songs. In terms of sound and style they are relatively similar. There are songs on each, particularly "Scamper" on "What Another Man Spills," that I really like, but there are songs on both that are really not my thing. Sorry I can't be of more help. Wow, they're different I'll say that.