Missing is the color and vibrancy of the Van McCoy disco original, but that’s consistent with what FLOTUS is all about. To add something meaningful to the current electronic-music canon, Wagner has fully cut the tethers to the past.
FLOTUS is most successful when it marries the influences from hip-hop productions with the pop-rock template that has essentially underpinned most of Lambchop’s previous work.
FLOTUS ranks as one of Lambchop's most confounding to date, an album whose form and content are united in intimate, private purpose, but which may well turn out to be one of their best and most accessible. [Dec 2016, p.18]
FLOTUS chases a particular spark of inspiration across its hour-plus runtime, as if attempting to prolong an ephemeral moment when anything felt possible.
Its great moments really are great, and shouldn’t be underestimated. However, when an album is bookended between two potential song of the year contenders with little to grasp in between, it’s difficult to really get too invested in this record.
I gotta say, this album is a huge jump from the early days of Thriller and is a woman. While some would argue that Nixon was their best albumI gotta say, this album is a huge jump from the early days of Thriller and is a woman. While some would argue that Nixon was their best album the expanse and subtle genius of of Is A Woman always was my favorite. At the end of the day, Lambchop is one of those bands who will go down as truly important to anyone who likes indie country. It's not really alt. country, but indie country. There have been instruments made from **** you would find in your garage and that's impressive to me.
All in all, this is a big step for the band because they've always been raw and real. The electronic thing is kind of scary for a long-time listener, but FOTUS pulls it off without issue. Using auto-tune on Kurt's voice is kind of an injustice, I'm just saying!
While I think of Kurt Wagner is our generation's Richard Wagner, he's never really been in the limelight like Dick was. I hope this is Kurt's chance to become a mainstream and household name, because he deserves it. Who am I kidding, anyone on the cover of NME has made it.
Billy Tyler's new album is awesome too. You should check that out!…Expand
I have been a keen follower of Lambchop's career for many years. I feel that they made their magnum opus in 'Nixon', and even though 'FLOTUS'I have been a keen follower of Lambchop's career for many years. I feel that they made their magnum opus in 'Nixon', and even though 'FLOTUS' doesn't top that, per se, it does thrust the band into very interesting and rewarding territory.
The electronic tinged sound on FLOTUS, which one would think would make the album sound cold or distant, actually makes it sound organic. Wagner's auto-tuned vocals float in and out of sparse instrumental pieces, from the 12 minute bass and drum driven 'In Care of 8675309' to the more beat driven ambient closer 'The Hustle'. Both of these long tracks set and conclude the album on very high notes and, if digested alone (at nearly 30 minutes in length), could make for quite an enjoyable listening experience.
I think the most impressive thing with the album is how experimental it is while still maintaining the quality we've known to expect from Wagner and co. Some bands are happy to tread water with their subsequent albums, especially when they get into middle age and beyond - not so Lambchop. While not being their best album, FLOTUS is one of their best, and essential for late night sessions or if you're in the mood for a more laid back ambient album. To some the tracks may sound floaty and unfocused; to me, however, they successfully create a mood and atmosphere that is unique to the band. May Lambchop keep pushing boundaries going into the future!
Favourite Tracks: 'In Care of 8675309', 'Old Masters', 'Writer', 'The Hustle'.…Expand
This album is amazing, and possibly my favourite of the year. I had never listened to Lambchop before, I just decided to give this a spinThis album is amazing, and possibly my favourite of the year. I had never listened to Lambchop before, I just decided to give this a spin based on critic reviews and wow, I'm so glad I did. It's incredible! If pressed to compare it to something else I'd say it reminds me a bit of earlier Animal Collective mixed with Bon Iver, but it has quite a distinct identity of its own so it's difficult to categorise, with elements of folk, jazz, indie, electronica, ambient and more all mixed and experimented with. I love it!…Expand
This album is a masterpiece.They somehow managed to radically change their sound playing with electronica but what they deliver as the endThis album is a masterpiece.They somehow managed to radically change their sound playing with electronica but what they deliver as the end result is unmistakably a Lambchop experience-and quite superior one.…Expand
It's beautiful and delicate like snow. FLOTUS features an aging man bathing his listeners in a tender, soothing refuge from the hustle andIt's beautiful and delicate like snow. FLOTUS features an aging man bathing his listeners in a tender, soothing refuge from the hustle and bustle. Almost paradoxically, Lambchop's unabashed flaunting of the technology used in the album's production has a transcendent yet unmistakebly human quality that I haven't heard since the last time I put on a Laurie Anderson album.
I can see how the restraint of the vocals can be offputting to some, especially throughough much of the album's midsection, but I just hear the sound of a singer just lending intermittent textural accents to songs that set their focus on basslines or piano chords.
It's warmth is getting me through the winter, like a little white flame.…Expand
This is the classic case of an album with one masterpiece and a lot of garbage filling the rest of the CD. Lambchop's sonic reinvention shouldThis is the classic case of an album with one masterpiece and a lot of garbage filling the rest of the CD. Lambchop's sonic reinvention should be good, or at least interesting, but since every song sounds the same and the electronics are used in very generic way it all ends up being boring and overly long. The 18-minute closer track justifies the existence of the record. It might be the best thing Lambchop ever did: it's pure sonic bliss, and it doesn't feel like there's a single second that didn't need to be there. It all builds up super nicely in a relaxed ambient-ish fashion. Listen to that one. You can ignore the rest.…Expand
