Lazarus Clamp - Against Entitlement

  by Anthony Middleton

published: 12 / 12 / 2009

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Review

A band that has been around for around for fifteen years, has released five well thought of albums and does not seem to have registered on more than a few people’s radars is obviously doing something right and something entirely wrong. Lazarus Clamp appeared to have given up on any once cherished dreams of filling arenas> Indeed they seem have given up on filling pub back rooms, so rarely do they perform live. I find this entirely laudable and refreshing from the ‘world owes us a living’ mentality of many bands. Lazarus Clamp obviously do this because they love it and it fulfills a need for them and their fans and that’s enough. For an album barely over half an hour long, 'Against Entitlement' feels like a sprawling epic, such are the number of gear changes on the record. From the Americana-like 'Hard Work of Simple Things' with its banjo and violin to the more Wedding Present-like pop of 'Spon'. Tying it all together are grown up lyrics that while obscure, are sung well layered in a multi textured sound that is always admirable if not always accessible. This is most apparent in the concluding 'I am the Police', a raging slow burner which while effective, is like too much of the album, lacking in anything approaching a melody.

Track Listing:-

1 Stone Beats This
2 Etmyologist's Lament
3 Spon
4 Hard Work Of Simple Things
5 Been Black-eyed
6 Canon
7 Night Of The Steep Learning Curve
8 Puppies
9 I Am The Police

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