Two Lady Lamb album reviews by Chris Auman
Lady Lamb — Even in the Tremor
Even in the Tremor, Lady Lamb’s first full-length album in four years is a personal, soul-baring effort for Spaltro who certainly hasn’t held back in the past. Even so, according to the artist formerly known as the Beekeeper, this is an introspective album where the material is based entirely on her own life. Over the album’s 11 tracks, Aly reaches deep into the corners of her mind and brings forth those memories into finely crafted songs of folk, indie rock, and pop.
The album’s lead-off track “Little Flaws” brings the strings and with those strings come stirring emotion. “Deep Love” is one of the more powerful tracks on the album, in which Aly professes her deep love for her girlfriend which was triggered by a small domestic act. “Strange Maneuvers” is an up-tempo tune that has Spaltro declaring “I don’t want to be afraid of myself anymore.”
The most interesting song to me, lyrically anyway, is the track “Young Disciple” which recounts Spaltro’s experiences with her born-again parents when she was just five years old. It was then that her mother explained to her that everyone was going to die one day. Pretty heavy. “Emily” has a radio-friendly feel like something you might catch on the FM dial in the late 80s. It’s another triumph for the lady and I hope we don’t have to wait for years for the follow-up. If we do, however, it will likely be worth it. [Ba Da Bing]
Lady Lamb the Beekeeper — Ripley Pine
The background story is that Lady Lamb began writing and recording songs after hours at the DVD rental store where she worked in Brunswick, Maine. She sold these recordings at the record store next door under the Lady Lamb pseudonym. From that beginning, here we are. This is Aly’s first full-length foray and it’s pretty fabulous and packed with great songs that are emotionally powerful and driven and showcase an admirable level of lyrical virtuosity.
To be dragged by the hair to the carnival is a strange enough way to travel. Even so, “Hair to the Ferris Wheel” gives a rousing start to a record that never stops spinning. The song starts slow but amps up quickly with a driving drum beat and strummingly loud guitars. “Aubergine” is a leg-kicking tune with fired-up horns that build up big only to fall down and start all over again. It’s about absence making the heart grow, not fonder, but hollow like an egg without a yolk. “Bird Balloons” gets Lady Lamb popping with Bjork-like bleat;, “I’m a ghost and you all know it”. “Rooftop” delivers as a standout track of guitar with gumption and violin and vocals that soar and tumble down.
Ripley Pine is as strong a twelve-song effort as I’ve heard. It fluctuates between half-empty and all-full while pontificating in the abstract about universal subjects. It lays in the cut at the right times only to hit full force with the backing of a full band. Shear sheepy brilliance. Baah, rah rah. [Ba Da Bing]
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