Lamb Faucet – Lamb Faucet II
Lamb Faucet II is an album that takes listeners on a wild and eclectic musical journey, building upon the solid foundation of its predecessor. With a range of tracks that vary in style and tempo, Lamb Faucet once again showcases his versatility and creativity and improves, while still being held-back by his odd mixing choices.
1. Davus Agnus 03:03: "Davus Agnus" sets the tone for the album impeccably, with its warped vocals and instrumentation. It’s a strong opening that perfectly sets the mood to come in a sombre manner.
2. Inspect The Uninspected 03:33: With "Inspect The Uninspected," Lamb Faucet delivers a groovy and mysterious track with infectious beats. The combination of intricate instrumentation and haunting melodies creates an intriguing atmosphere. The track is very Foetus in nature, down to the maniacal industrial drums and absorbing, gritty soundscape. The production hurts the track, however, mostly during the verses, where everything sounds squashed and muddy, and the vocals undecipherable. The choral sections and instrumental bridges work, despite the poor mixing.
3. The Lampshade Mafia 02:44: "The Lampshade Mafia" takes a different turn, offering a playful and quirky vibe. Not only does it incorporate unconventional sounds and samples, adding an element of surprise, it eccentrically mixes up the progression in a delightful manner.
4. Brown Salix Willow Bundle 04:13: In "Brown Salix Willow Bundle," Lamb Faucet injects a dose of liveliness into the album in the style of Vampire Rodents; impressively genre-jumping with literacy and enigmatic enthusiasm. It's an upbeat and catchy track that exudes a sense of joy and playfulness, thanks to its playful time-signatures and cryptic progression.
5. Little Boot Jesterboy 03:04: "Little Boot Jesterboy" compositionally is very playful, like the second track, can sound overly-muddy at times.
6. Gladius To Meet You 02:20: With "Gladius To Meet You," Lamb Faucet delivers a short but powerful burst of energy. The track is driven by a relentless tempo and intricate instrumentation. The track greatly benefits from its vocals being distorted, and thus, memorable; balanced effortlessly by the most whispery sections.
7. The Slow Crawl Backwards 02:54: "The Slow Crawl Backwards" takes a more laid-back and atmospheric approach. The haunting vocals and atmospheric textures create a sense of lunacy, though the muddy production once again holds it back, for the distortion of instrumentation works against the moodiness. Had the artist aimed for a more ominous sound, rather than industrial, it would have worked far better. Furthermore, the verses throughout the mid-section add nothing to the soundscape; it would have worked better instrumentally.
8. The Last Strumpet Sounds 02:58: "The Last Strumpet Sounds" introduces a faster beat in a delirious manner, to a delightful effect. The track has an experimental peart quality to it, incorporating unconventional beats, swirling electronics, foreign acoustics, and unexpected transitions. It's a bold and adventurous piece that showcases Lamb Faucet's willingness to push boundaries. Compositionally, it’s a little lacking, and vocally its rather tame, but it adds good variation to the album.
9. Chinese Eyes Great Frustration 06:25: Clocking in at over six minutes, "Chinese Eyes Great Frustration" is an epic journey within the album. The sludge metal unfolds gradually, building tension and emotion as it progresses, subtly getting noisier with each passive minute. The gentle industrial elements add great flair, without detracting as they did in track 7.
10. Disorganized Crime 04:17: "Disorganized Crime" has a certain urgency to it, driving forward with relentless momentum. From the opening strings to the energetic climax of swirling synthetics and atmospheric closer, the track is filled with wonderful moments. The composition is rather lacking in the sense the beats are indistinguishable from preceding tracks and, like most Lamb Faucet tracks, it ends abruptly. An impressive piece, nonetheless.
11. Squares of Influence 03:54: "Squares of Influence" creates a sense of introspection and reflection through haunting synths and distorted acoustic elements, evoking a sense of dread and psychosis. One of the best tracks on the album.
12. Julius Caesarean Section Word Salad 03:02: With "Julius Caesarean Section Word Salad," Lamb Faucet delivers a track that defies categorization. It's a sonic collage of different sounds and textures, creating a chaotic yet intriguing listening experience. The track's short duration leaves you both bewildered and fascinated.
13. The Reason Trials 05:27: Closing the album, "The Reason Trials" offers a cinematic and atmospheric finale. The track builds gradually, incorporating layers of instrumentation and evolving melodies. It's an expansive piece that takes you on a sonic journey, leaving a lasting impression.
Overall, Lamb Faucet II is a daring and adventurous album that showcases Lamb Faucet's musical prowess. Each track offers something unique, from infectious beats to chaotic guitars. It's an album that rewards repeated listen, thanks to its detailed soundscape. Lamb Faucet has crafted a collection of songs that are as diverse as they are captivating, making Lamb Faucet II a worthy addition to any music lover's Bandcamp collection. Despite being the best album of his solo career; the artist ought to do something different next time; his style has peaked. It’s remarkable he was able to deliver despite the general fatigue he’s instilled in his fanbase. Here’s hoping the next release has more time in between.
Really Good
Listen to it here:
https://lampfaucet.bandcamp.com/album/lamp-faucet
Lamb Faucet – Lamb Faucet II
