Surprising things to find inside My Room – 5 Stars
Every so often an album comes along that takes you completely by surprise.
Every so often an album comes along that takes you completely by surprise. That’s how I felt with My Room by Frank Lamb.
I will declare from the outset that I know Frank a little through someone I work with. It’s probably also true that I would never have found this album if it hadn’t been for that personal connection. I didn’t know that he had released this until another friend told me. But I have to say with absolute conviction that My Room is an outstanding collection of music.
It’s probably unfair to call this a collection of music. When I listened to it the first time, it felt like much more than that. I’d say it was more a collection of moods. Each track is evocative, melancholic, soulful and soul-searching. You can tell that Frank has dedicated himself to making this album the way that he would like to hear music.
With the exception of a couple of friends and family who turn up to support on a few tracks (and do so very well – just listen to the eponymous My Room to be blown away by some truly haunting vocals) this is a one-man project. He writes his own music, plays all the instruments, and produced it himself. It’s a genuine labour of love.
I am sure that he has many musical influences and that comes through. Some of the tracks, like the brilliant (and I mean brilliant – it’s my favourite song of the year so far) Don’t Give Me Love or This Life make me think of Dire Straits or Men at Work (not the upbeat Down Under but more like Still Life or Who Can It Be Now?). The Interrogation is a quite startling blend of eastern and electronic. Some like Vagabond Gambler and Waste of Time fall squarely into the country genre.
What I’ve just written makes it sound like a mish-mash of styles but honestly it’s not and it’s worth it. It blends really well. Give it a listen. I’m sure you’ll be surprised like I was.