DREAM CIRCLE/IRS DCD 9626
Pull Me Under
The Light Of You
Blair Mountain
Kevin Was My Cousin
House Of The Rising Sun
Strongest Man In The World
Home
Gone
Starting To Feel
My Head
Rob lamothe Gravity
Rob
The Riverdogs front man
released his first solo album and, well, I don't think anyone expected
this. It drips pure, heartfelt passion from track one "Pull me under".
Just drift in the lyrics for a second; "if you were a river, I would lay
down beside you, let you run right through my fingers". and it goes on.
Robs voice is surely one of the best ever. Not disimilar to Paul Rodgers
but don't get me wrong, this is no rock album. Most of the tracks are
guitar/voice or piano/voice only with minimal backing. The songs are
about life, about love, loses, family, yes, life. It is a record about
feelings, feelings that you and I can relate to. Not slush, but pure,
heartbreaking, passion. The Cd ends with a "hidden" track "Stay", just
piano and Rob again. Listen and lose yourself. This is pure genius.
Wonderful and very special.
ROB LAMOTHE/GRAVITY
AJM
(check out his site, its pretty cool!)
Total Score 70%Production 75%Songs 85%Vibe 75%Attitude 90%
The Riverdogs
are one great band. They have produced some of the best melodic straight
ahead rock from the last few years. This is their vocalist's debut solo
album. But if you were looking at getting into the Riverdogs, and
thought you might check out this solo release as a way in, please don't.
I would say that this album is more for die hard Riverdogs fans, in that
it will appeal to those people, but to others may be harded to get into.
In the vein of Bruce Springsteen's 'Ghost Of Tom Joad' record, this is a
sparse, acoustic, highly introspective and very personal album. This
album highlights what a great and under rated lyricist Rob Lamothe is.
There are songs of love, heartache, personal loss, anxiety, you know the
stuff. The instrumentation is sparse, and only used when it will add to
the song. Acoustic guitar is prominent throughout, piano is used, (to
awesome efect on 'Stongest Man'), and a host of non standard rock
instuments are put to use including violins, strings, a dulcimer,
saxaphone, organ, ukulele and a choir on 'Blair Mountain'. Drums are
used rarely, and bass occasionally. Spencer Sercombe of the 'Where Are
They Now File' band Shark Island helps out with the bass and a couple of
co-writing credits.
There really is some beautiful ballads on this album, best of which are
'Stongest Man', 'Light Of You' and 'Starting To Feel'. I highly
recommend the album, but mainly for a late night, or personal listening
point of view. For the rockier and feel good side of things, stand by
for the next Riverdogs album.
Gravity
If there was ever a cd to get lost in, its this one! The lyrics are beautiful, painful sometimes as they touch on feelings that we have all had at one point or another, but flawless and amazing to listen to. I can put this cd on and just get lost in the song, the lyrics and the emotions involved. The music is used only to enhance the songs, not to "fill" them, and the vocals are some of the best stuff Rob has ever done. All of the songs on here are great, Strongest Man in the World is touching, but Home is probably my favorite song on here. Robs voice just blows me away every time I listen. But then, I could say that again about any song on here... An amazing cd, from an amazing performer...
Gravity
Marc
Marvic@gateway.net
With the demise of the Riverdogs in 1994 one had to wonder what was to become of the "voice" and brilliant song writing of the band. Being that both of these elements belonged to Rob Lamothe they would surface a couple of years later on his debut solo release "Gravity". For those fans ingrained in the folky hard rock sound of the Riverdogs this album proved to be quite a surprise as the concept and sound would be about as far from that of as possible. Rob Lamothe, set out on this record to hone his own vision and with that in mind, he succeeded beyond all expectations. An album of great depth conveying emotions of sorrow, love, pain but, most of all hope in the future. The stark and sparse instrumentation of Gravity enable Rob to set the mood with some of his most personnel songs that are often sung with gut wrenching emotion. Highlights, are the opening cut "Pull Me Under" one of the finest songs ever written by Lamothe, "Strangest Man in the World" recalling his relationship with his father that all of us can relate to in an emotional way, the errie classic "Gone" and the gut wrenching tune "Kevin Was My Cousin". A very emotional record that allows Lamothe to purge his soul of personnel experiences not unlike John Lennon on his first solo record. Also, not unlike Lennon, a record that has been misunderstood by some as very un-Riverdogs sounding. However, it was not intended to be Riverdogs but, a personnel statement of Rob Lamothe and in that vain this album is a hauntingly beautiful piece of work.
Absolutely Live|
Being Human|
Bone|
Clock|
Riverdogs Debut|
I Am Here Now|
Project Hum|
On Air|
Pervasive Influences|
Powerslide|
The Singles
|
Lisa Winn
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