Esther Lamb

http://www.musicsa.com.au/articles/reviews/estherlamb.aspx

2008 LP Listen For Home
Reviewed by Amanda Stone
5th June 2008

Sit back, relax, and unwind to the soulful sounds of Esther Lamb ; Listen For Home is a marvelous album to pop on inside a café, to form the soundtrack of a late night soiree, or to just simply be enjoyed by enthusiasts of pop/jazz.

Esther’s intriguing vocals are backed up by an array of instruments including guitar, bass, drums, keyboard and strings. Interestingly, the strings are performed by two members from highly renowned Australian string quartet, Fourplay.

The nine-song album was funded by Arts SA and impressively all of the music and lyrics are written by Esther herself. The album cover is very appropriate for the atmosphere of the album, with the cover photography shot at upmarket, Hindley Street wine bar The Apothecary 1878.

On Esther’s MySpace, she modestly likens herself to the sounds of Jewel and Dido. Whilst I do liken the sweet tones of Esther’s voice to these singers, I feel that she has more of a jazz tone to her voice.

Esther’s voice is very pretty and soothing, and at times quite haunting, mesmerizing and evocative. She varies her voice from high and low, and in particular the track, One Day, showcases the pretty tones in her voice. The track is quite melancholic, but features some beautiful guitar lines. It also has a very graceful finish that could send you into a slumber. Finally Free begins with brooding vocals and becomes quite uplifting towards the chorus. Listen For Home featured some funky, hypnotic drums and guitar, but needed a bit more punch to hold my attention.

I particularly like the dreamy, haunting songs on the album, such as How Long, which would be great to see Esther perform at an ambient jazz club or even feature on the soundtrack for a old world musical.

One of the best tracks on the album is Too Late, Too Early. This track features gorgeous, magical keys, which I must say are truly moving. Esther’s vocals are enchanting, mesmerizing and engaging. Keep On Waiting was also very strong and had a mysterious, yet calming feel.

The songs are appropriate lengths; not too long and not too short. However, some of the tracks could even be extended, perhaps by featuring more instrumental parts. One criticism I did have of the album, was that the lyrics did get a little bit repetitive and detracted from the overall encapsulating sound of the songs. I would also like to see a little more edginess in some of the tracks to give the album a bit more pizzazz.

For the jazz enthusiast, I recommend the last track Luxury Lullaby. This song would be great performed live in a small, intimate jazz club, and Esther’s voice really suits the jazz style of the song. A fancy guitar solo also really adds life to the tune. All the instruments are well synchronized and it becomes evident that the musicians had a lot of fun recording this track, as it gets very intense by the end of the song. You may find yourself surprisingly clicking your fingers and getting into the groove of this catchy track.

Overall, I found this release very easy to listen to, as it showcased many beautiful melodies. I recommend putting on Listen For Home on a cozy winter night, over a glass of red in front of an open fireplace.
- Music SA

DB Review- August 11.08.08

Esther Lamb
Listen For Home
Independent



This graceful debut by Adelaide singer/songwriter Esther Lamb is an accomplished recording with touches of jazz, pop piano and plenty of late-night charm.

Most initially striking are the deft strings hovering with perfect tension just above the lush piano, confident bass, and overall quality sound. Lamb's vocals hark close to a softer Kate Miller-Heidke, sweet and rounded, if not a little too restrained on some tunes. There is no question Lamb can sing beautifully, but one keeps hoping she will take a deep breath and really break through the careful, precious level. Her song-writing is initially inoffensive, but it's rare for a tune not increasingly invite recognition and charm with each spin.

Like many debuts the lyrics can be insularly personal. For example, I Won't Fall is a sweet song, but a chorus flogging the concept "I'm free to fly" feels less than the music deserves. Contrastingly, Finally Free executes this solidly as the melody ducks back and forth without extravagance, leaving a hunger for immediate further listens, a fair effort on a debut light jazz release. Better lyrical ideas are found Listen For Home, which follows the tension of one's home lessons and their inadequacy in the wider world.

On several tracks the parts move beyond their sum to meld simple, gorgeous music. This is most effectively seen on How Long?' where Lamb finds her perfect zone. While it is generally piano and strings which most compliments her voice, How Long? is the true exception, a stunningly beautiful song, gloriously sung.

Is Esther Lamb Australia's Norah Jones? The quality of some tracks here tempts me to hope so. In any case, this debut has done enough to send me and some friends to the gig-guide for the live version.

Tim Hein
- DB Magazine