I was really expecting greatness from this record, but the only tracks IMO worth saving are the Andre 300 collabs. Everything else is sucky because it's too overproduced and convoluted. She never gets to the point in the lyrics...I guess I just like a song that MEANS something.

Anyone else disappointed with this album?

mrdespues said:

It's a fun dance record. From the jump she said this is the album she wanted to make, even before she started it last year.

It's still a mostly cool album.

My problems with it are that I was really expecting greatness from this record, but the only tracks IMO worth saving are the Andre 300 collabs. Everything else is sucky because it's too overproduced and convoluted. She never gets to the point in some of the lyrics...I guess I just like a song that MEANS something, but I guess this'll grown on me in a while...

Anyone else iffy about this album?

.
[Edited 11/23/04 23:27pm]

musicman said:

None of that saves it from being at least partly naff. Let me rephrase my initial statment: I think this album isn't quite as good as the hype says it is.

That said, since my first post I've grown to really enjoy some of the songs, even if they have a sometimes too-sparse and electronic sound to them.

.
[Edited 11/23/04 23:25pm]

mrdespues said:

Errr....and you have a Bjork avatar, right?

don't get me wrong, i love electronica, but bjork does it with ART and she writes real SONGS and makes it sound HUMAN. i don't get that feeling from a lot of gwen's record.

VoicesCarry said:

don't get me wrong, i love electronica, but bjork does it with ART and she writes real SONGS and makes it sound HUMAN. i don't get that feeling from a lot of gwen's record.

VoicesCarry said:

don't get me wrong, i love electronica, but bjork does it with ART and she writes real SONGS and makes it sound HUMAN. i don't get that feeling from a lot of gwen's record.

mrdespues said:

It's a dumb, fun party record. Perhaps expecting profundity where it ain't never gonna be?

VoicesCarry said:

I don't expect that, I just expected something that would blow me away. I still think she's a talented girl.

I really enjoyed LAMB. It has a lot of great tracks and styles, but it does seem kind of scatterbrained and overproduced at times. This kind of album has already been done by Kelis, twice -- check Kaleidoscope and Wanderland. Both of those sounded bugged out and were akin to getting high. When you listen to Kelis' first two albums you felt like you were on drugs -- that's how good it was. Gwen's offering, while eclectic, doesn't quite give off that same vibe. I felt like the album was trying to force its "unconventionality" on the listener whereas Kelis' seemed more natural and free from pretense.

My favorite tracks on LAMB are the Neptunes-produced "Hollback Girl," which sounds like a ghetto pep rally -- this cut grabbed me at first spin. "Cool" is my personal favorite, the track harks back to the style of Return To Saturn-era No Doubt. "Danger Zone" and "Crash" were great as well. "What You Waiting For" can't be denied and I can understand why it was the first single.

Tony Kanal definitely provided the better material on this project. I was very surprised by Jam & Lewis' "Harajuku Girls" -- definitely showed they haven't lost their touch as producers. It was so good that I'm hoping Janet will keep J&L aboard for her next project.

"Rich Girl" didn't click with me (since I've heard the original reggae version over the summer -- which was beaten to a pulp by dance clubs). Eve didn't help matters (she did sound a lot like Lady Saw from "Hey Baby" with her verses).

Nevertheless, it was worth the purchase. One of the better albums of '04.


"You stupid ho," edit.
[Edited 11/24/04 9:18am]

"Hollaback Girl" makes me cringe. For some odd reason, I think of Fred Durst trying to rap when I hear that song. but that's just me.

AnckSuNamun said:

I think it sounds like a mixture of Tony Basil's Micky and Queen's "Another One Bite The Dust."

In fact I like the Queen reference in the song.