Lambchop have always been one of those bands that I felt I should like but could never really get that excited about. I like Kurt Wagner's voice, love it in fact, but the music often seems to meander off down some sort of easy-listening side-street and my interest departs with it. I do, however, keep trying. Every time they release an album.
This, their tenth, seems to be more country-soul than alt.country. The piano is largely to the fore rather than the guitar. This allows them to create some really lovely sounding ballads, such as the title track, which is short, sweet and similar to the gorgeous 'Paperback Bible' from their last album with its "green doesn't matter when you're blue" hookline. Its a shame that Lambchop make concise, pretty songs like this so unfrequently. Elsewhere, songs regularly break the six minute mark but without it ever seeming necessary and while songs like 'Slipped, Dissolved and Loosed' is strong enough to keep the attention, 'I'm Thinking of a Number' and 'Popeye' are seriously hard work to get through.
There are some more nice moments, 'I Believe In You', a Don Williams cover, is simple and touching but a record just shouldn't require as much effort as this one does. If you're a fan of Lambchop, especially the 'Is A Woman' album, you won't be disappointed. I shall just have to try again with the next one.
6.0
['OH:Ohio' is out now on City Slang on cd/vinyl and download from 7Digital]
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