Lies Damned Lies - Lamentations

Saturday 1st February 1997
Lies Damned Lies - Lamentations
Lies Damned Lies - Lamentations

STYLE: Rock
RATING 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
OUR PRODUCT CODE: 2687-3614
LABEL: Sticky Music GUMCD32
FORMAT: CD Album
ITEMS: 1


Reviewed by Pippa Rimmer

Ethereal Caledonian popsters Lies Damned Lies have chosen a somewhat unique topic as a basis for this latest release. Lamentations is hardly the most, erm, cheerful book in the Bible, but the veteran Greenbelters are exploring a new genre here - Christian music that isn't all happy clappy. 'Lamentations' is a maudlin mixture of haunting and unusual imagery; snippets of Lamentations are used throughout the album like a recurring leitmotif. To be honest, I'm not sure what they're communicating. The end of an era? The plight of the world? The end product is very creative and eccentric, doesn't have a neat conclusion like most mainstream Christian albums (God is love, grace and mercy, etc). "Mumble And Moan" has a Sting sound-alike on vocals! This song is the marathon piece on the album. It dies away but is taken up again by a beautiful string arrangement which punctuates the second section. Throughout there's a juxtapositioning of the old Biblical imagery and the modern life, a constant lament that in essence, humanity hasn't changed a bit since ancient times. "Home" begins with a simple voice and guitar duet and the emotional appeal of a protest song which builds to anthemic proportions! This is probably one of the more colourful releases of 1996 which challenges the stereotypical idea of what 'Christian' music is. The overall verdict is that moody, atmospheric, different music like this could be big business in the next century, so get ahead now!

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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Reader Comments

Posted by Kyle Lundy in Michigan, USA @ 14:09 on Mar 3 2010

Yep, ten stars all the way. A true gem



Posted by John in Florida United States @ 01:02 on Dec 17 2009

Hello,

Does anyone know where I can get a CD of Lamentations? I live in Florida. My email is tinmancafe@aol.com



Posted by Steven Whitehead in Buckinghamshire @ 20:04 on Mar 27 2008

I am with Derek on this - it is a 10/10 album. I was fortunate enough to be in a smallish tent at Greenbelt when 'Lamentations' was played live and the memory has stayed with me ever since. Every time I come back to this CD there is something new to be heard. Awesome.



Posted by Derek walker in Abingdon @ 21:37 on Mar 18 2007

Sorry Pippa, but I have to give this 10/10. Music doesn't have to have neat messages to work - in fact one of the roles of artists is to complement the teachers and explore life from the ambiguities and contradictions. I only happened to be thinking a couple of days ago that if I had to take only 10 discs to a desert island, this would be one. It is gorgeous.



The opinions expressed in the Reader Comments are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms.

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