John
It’s true: Digital Audio Review gives a heap of love to electronica and techno. Recent experiences at the Newport Show suggests that many attending audiophiles aren’t ready for the extreme minimalism of Richie Hawtin or the loping, pastoral soundscapes of Boards Of Canada.
Moreover, I dig as much Americana as the next guy. Lambchop have been working the margins for what seems an age. They experienced minor UK chart success with album Nixon (largely thanks to an oh-so-tasteful Zero 7 remix of single “Up With The People”) and then fell from collective public consciousness as swiftly as they entered it.
2012 album Mr. M is as close in style to my previous favourite (2002’s Is A Woman). The songs are largely slow, meandering affairs that feature a whole lot of minimal acoustic strumming. Lead-singer-songwriter Kurt Wagner’s lyrics are often sharply incisive but often work their best magic with the slow burn. You might call Lambchop a thinking man’s country and western band.
As satisfying as a home-cooked meal, Mr. M is unlikely to drive fellow audio-heads from the room if spun at your local hi-fi meet.
The Pitchfork review gives the more detailed particulars as well as a Spotify playlist of the same.
Pour and whisky and drift back to the 70s…
The FLAC is available from the Boomkat download store whilst the vinyl edition (w/ bonus cuts) is best-sourced from Amazon.com.
And if you dig the pastoral flavours of Mr M., go find the 2CD edition of Is A Woman if only for the splendidly unusual cover version of The Sisters Of Mercy’s “This Corrosion”.
