For Lambchop singer, Kurt Wagner, 鈥済reen doesn鈥檛 matter when you鈥檙e blue.鈥 The fame-seeking dreamers of Nashville are 鈥渁esthetically corrupt,鈥 and songs are perpetuated as visual aids throughout the lulls of solo shows.
Mixing the bizarre with the chimerical OH (Ohio) continues in the genre-defying efforts of an outfit most popularly described as alt-country. Lambchop is a stalwart of the chill-out music scene, and Wagner鈥檚 dulcet tones have pervaded over many an after-club wind-down session. The longevity of his fame is still something, which mystifies the reluctant front man: 鈥淚 always feel strange talking about this thing I do, I often wonder who finds what I have to say even remotely interesting.鈥 Lambchop鈥檚 worldwide fan base seems to disagree, with the band鈥檚 frequent line-up fluctuations doing little to stem the enthusiasm accumulated through 15 years of recording.
The band鈥檚 hometown of Nashville exists in the popular imagination as a hot bed of rhythmic talents, an opinion that betrays the millions of failed careers in American music鈥檚 answer to Hollywood. Conversely, these musical pursuits bred in Wagner a cynicism of his home town where 鈥渆verybody played guitar, everybody was getting into music, I just found this whole thing pretty self-obsessed and weird.鈥
Ironically, it took Wagner leaving Nashville in favour of Memphis, leaving music in favour of art, to begin his prolific career of song writing, and to appreciate his Nashville roots: 鈥淚 think it was quite forming in a way, we started to consider that we were all from Nashville, which was a curious thing because most people come to Nashville from somewhere else and kind of pursue country music, and we started to consider that as part of our conceptual idea, we were reflecting a side of Nashville.鈥
His stint at art school enabled Wagner to embrace a variety of artistic forms, and he is always keen to showcase the talents of friends and associates on Lambchop鈥檚 album cover art. OH (Ohio) continues this tradition, emblazoned as it is with the work of Wagner鈥檚 old professor. Gig goers can expect this visual musician, to play around with the idea of what is a performance in solo shows. Hanging the physical remnants of past pieces on a specially-fashioned washing line is just one way to manifest 鈥渕y typically confounding self,鈥 as Wagner reconciles himself to solo performances. After numerous line up fluctuations, Lambchop has finally settled into a more steadfast outfit, touring throughout the UK after Wagner鈥檚 solo dates and, despite more frequent forays into his own works, Wagner maintains the band鈥檚 collective. 鈥淚鈥檝e always seen music as more of a collective endeavour, but I鈥檓 just starting to discover the solo endeavour of music, as with painting.鈥
Lambchop鈥檚 latest album occupies familiar territory, showcasing an artist becoming more comfortable in his own efforts while simultaneously embracing the original cacophony of the band鈥檚 trademark youthful playfulness. As always with Lambchop, the lyrics lurch from surreal to nostalgic, and tracks fuse into one musical whole, just as the band members do behind Wagner鈥檚 enigmatic talents.
OH (Ohio) is out now on City Slang. .
Pauline Bache
