This is, I think, the first one of these I’m listening to for the first time. I picked this up very cheaply in a charity shop, alongside another Lambchop CD which has had much more listening time.
I try not to put CDs in their place on the shelves until they’ve had a listen, but this must have escaped that rule. And, checking reveals it was in the wrong place anyway, all of which means it shouldn’t be next. But it’s in the CD player already, so here goes.
It starts very easy, Kurt Warner’s distinctive voice gently flows over minimalist backing - just piano and subdued drum on The Daily Growl, while more atmospheric effects and guitar accompany The New Cobweb Summer.
My Blue Wave is a lovely sad song, lasting over seven minutes - Kurt’s in no hurry here, but none of these songs are dragging. The pace even moves up a gear on D. Scott Parsley, before a gentle stroll to the end of this set of songs, with even a slight reggae beat on the title track is A Woman.
The short bonus disc includes covers of The Sisters of Mercy and The Rolling Stones, as well as a Wagner original, staying in the mood of the main disc without adding much in particular.
This album is a delightful, gentle listen, not at all what I’d been expecting when I bought it, and judging from reviews represented a departure from the much fuller sound of previous Lambchop albums, and as a whole feels like an old comfy jumper. It’s not something for every day, but something relaxing. It’s not too onerous, with enough lyrical content to keep it interesting, but without anything that really stands out. It’s an album I’ll revisit as a nice, gentle listen, not because I want to hear that song.
4* - a very welcome, very laidback surprise.
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