Gone Away

Aurally Seductive - John Henry Lambert penned the music to the nine songs on this, his debut solo recording. Recorded over a two-year period earlier this decade on Lambert's Dartmoor (England) farm, the collection was produced by Lambert's some-time musical associate, Richard Ashrowan. The pair collaborated in the creation of three of the nine lyrics, Lambert being the sole author of the remainder. The resulting sonic landscape features the sound of the human voice, male and female, married to that of - as the need dictates - harmonium, piano, violin, and saxophone. It's refreshing to report that percussion and drums were not used in the creation of this recording. While the female voices (mainly) warble in support, Lambert's contributions are mostly spoken - his vocal on " 'Til I Get Home"; can hardly be categorised as singing. The three-and-a-half-minute-long title album track apart, the others possess a duration of at least five and up to almost seven minutes. Lambert's compositions can best be described as poetic mood pieces accompanied by a backdrop of acoustic instruments. Considering that Lambert's back pages features stints in a Folk Rock and ambient house group, Gone Away is by way of an experimental extension of past labours. Obviously inspired by the natural world that surrounds his Dartmoor home, allied to memories of a past life spent in a city, Lambert's melancholic spoken delivery sets the tone; one that's enhanced when joined by Isabel Lambert's (wife) harmonium. Forced to toss a few names into the air, fans of Nick Drake, Leonard Cohen, and Sam Baker might find Lambert's work engaging. What John Henry Lambert has achieved with Gone Away is rather unique: aurally seductive even. Arthur Wood April 2008 --FolkWax

This Devon based singer-songwriter is firmly rooted in darkling acoustic folk, as brooding, wild and earthy as the Dartmoor landscapes where it was recorded. Accompanying Lambert's spare guitar and cracked leather and dark loam vocals, wife Isabel provides harmonium and piano, Ian Ritchie the saxophones with Kathleen Willison on violin and backing vocals alongside Natalie Williams. The result may not conjure the recent work of Scott Walker as the blurb suggests, but you ll definitely hear the influences of Roger Waters solo albums and, as Lambert acknowledges, Springsteen s The Ghost of Tom Joad. The sax soaked City Skies suggests he s a fan of Cohen too. In which case Williams and Willison are his Jennifer Warnes. Or, on the harmonium droned Lost Sight of the Way, perhaps the McGarrigles. Refective themes of loss and change are sketched with an eye for natural imagery (birds, winds, leaves) and the seasons (the music more autumnal or rimmed with frost than the rays of spring and summer) as Lambert talks his way through the numbers. Actually, with several of them clocking past the six minute mark they tend to be more about the musical accompaniment mood settings than the vocals, more tone poems than songs. As such, while not New Age, they work best when played in tranquillity, the likes of Swallows or The Winter Of 95 offering a sense of spiritual balm; albeit one stained with nicotine and the fumes of roasted barley. I know nothing of Lambert's past, but I'm definitely keeping an eye on his future. Mike Davies April 2008 --NetRhythms

Sometimes, you hear something that takes you quite unexpectedly and this beautiful, reflective and pastoral album by John Henry Lambert is like nothing I have ever heard before. Lambert is a singer-songwriter based in Devon and this album was made in a most organic fashion, being recorded at his farm using no percussion or electric instruments and with each song recorded live in one take and no edits or overdubs allowed. He is joined by several simple amazing musicians and with only acoustic guitar, piano, harmonium, sporano and tenor saxophone and violins has produced a pure and devastatingly simple album of delights. His vocal delivery is restrained and, at times, verges on poetic or spoken word delivery to reinforce his message. His use of female backing vocals is sheer genius an adds an ethereal beauty that is just heavenly. The music is roots derivative but his delivery has something of Roger Waters/Lou Reed/Gordon Haskell about it but, in truth, you need to listen to it to make up your mind. This is not prog or rock, just a quite amazing set of songs beautifully played and aimed straight at your soul. TC --Journal of the Classic Rock Society

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