SO this is what happens when A&R types are sent on a mission to discover the next Portishead. Some go for the Xerox machine and get Hoover, whose "2 Wicky" is as close as you can get to the "P" word without sharing bodily fluids. Or creative juices for that matter. I mean, using the same Isaac Hayes loop as used by Portishead, Massive Attack, Tricky and Keyboard "Money" Mark does not a good track make. No matter how much it's cut up.
Lamb, on the other hand, should result in a good sacking for the A&R bod responsible for securing their signatures. You see, they're nothing like Portishead. OK, so the demo version of "God Bless", which did the rounds on a Skint Records promo sampler last year, sounded derivative. But here the track becomes transformed into a obtuse techno drum'n'bass classic. Electronic B-boy triplets stretch over a contorted double bass as Louise Rhodes croons like Janis Ian in a 6am jazz dive. This is Lamb at their beautiful and brilliant best.
review: Martin James
nicked from 'Melody Maker', dated 2 November 1996
