Norman Lamont Romantic Fiction 2 by Rosie Bell
I love the way Norman Lamont mixes pathos and humour in his work. So he starts off his latest CD, Romantic Fiction 2, with an upbeat song, Nicole about a hopeless passion for a universally irresistible woman of that name and here’s a verse:-
I went to my wife and she said Joe
If you’re going to tell me something tell me something I don’t know
She said I’ve got some sympathy for what you’re going through
Because ever since I saw her man I, I love her too
My favourite track is Crying in the Street, which is a classic wet mascara song about lost love. Norman’s voice is effectively husky on this. In a just world it would be a standard in the repertoire of the sad chanteuse.
When I Went To Your House has a Scottish lament feel to it, and a pure lead vocal by Tricia Thom. Again, a heart breaking song which brings me out in a chill and captures the pain of love. A really beautiful song.
Love songs make up about 90% of all the songs written and you would think you can’t do much in that line to rejuvenate the oldest subject. However Norman sets a scene – he dramatises the love, whether of someone reeling from the shock of a break-up:-
I thought when I burned those bridges
Freedom would taste so sweet
So I’m free in the wild
Like a lost frightened child
Crying in the street.
Or someone leaving their present partner to visit their new lover:-
When I went to your house
Sun going down
I drove through the suburbs
And out of the town . . .And I don’t know if you were
Surprised that I came
When I got to your house
You just said my nameWe started an avalanche
As we knew we would
And much was destroyed
That was precious and goodBut we can’t help but grab for
The things that we lack
When I went to your house
And never went back
In Submarine Girl Norman returns to his upbeat humour and is clever and funny. And although Norman disclaims this in his sleeve notes, dirty as well:
"Some audiences seem to think it suggestive – if they saw the punctuation, they’d understand ("I’ve never gone down on a submarine, girl" – note the comma.")
Well, although you can sing a comma, ie a pause, singing "I’ve never gone down on a submarine [pause] girl" is still going to sound dirty.
The CD ends with a cover of the Water is Wide, and with its melodic female vocals rounds off a tuneful and lyrically rich CD.
NORMAN LAMONT – THE WOLF WHO SNARED THE MOON: review in Noise Magazine May 05 Relax: this isn't an election tie-in nightmare, lest you be having visions of the chubby ex-chancellor releasing a collection of ballads lamenting the rise and fall of his tumultuous relationship with Mrs T. Rather it is a pleasingly melodic collection of songs by 'the real' Norman Lamont, a singer-songwriter who had been gigging around Edinburgh and occasionally beyond since 1990. The songs are for the most part poetic, lyrical and delivered with arrangements surprisingly lush and complex for a low-budget album. There are a handful of haunting melodies that stick with you, notably Winter Sky, whilst the title track puts me in mind of Bowie's The Man Who Sold the World. I'm not sure Norman's fame will ever eclipse that of his namesake, and there are one or two tracks that err towards blandness, but overall this is one Norman Lamont whose policies I am happy to commend to you.
NORMAN LAMONT – THE WOLF WHO SNARED THE MOON: review on Kweevac.com Norman Lamont is a singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer. Norman has worked in bands as well as on his own solo projects. Lamont's music draws from a diversity of genres. He has been inspired by Paul Simon, Bowie, Incredible String Band and Fripp. Norman's eclectic songs have a dark side yet his lyrics are clever ranging from straightforward to mysterious. I am still trying to figure out who or what the 'polecats' are. Besides vocals, Norman handles guitars, bass, strings and arrangements on this eleven track CD. Other musicians contribute violins, drums keys, organ and samples giving the songs more character. 'This Horse' has an edgy guitar riff layered over a deep, shadowy bass line as Mary adds her two cents on violin. Norman's vocals are soulful and gritty as he sing this allegoric song. 'The Ballad of Bob Dylan' is epic. The vocals and instrumentation are executed in a Dylanesque way yet the animated organ parts and bottleneck guitar gives the song a unique twist. I really liked the storytelling and funky instrumental breaks that are part of the ballad. Norman's debut release is distinctive in style, structure and his witty words will keep you coming back for more!
Norman Lamont - The Wolf Who Snared the Moon
(Is This Music? magazine, Winter 2004Edinburgh's Norman Lamont (yes, it's his real name, delightfully, fact fans) is a long-time legend on the local live circuit and rightly so: this eccentric collection rebounds and revels round our bard's namesake Greenbaum, downtime Blue Nile and evocative Scottish folk traditions. From a wry, impressive Dylanesque pastiche on 'The Ballad of Bob Dylan' and 70's cowboy rock on 'The Desert Was Better' to the snowdrift choral of 'Winter Sky', 'The Wolf Who Snared the Moon' is a surprisingly lovely, lively, low-key, sweeping release.
Norman Lamont: The Wolf Who Snared the Moon (Full Moon fanzine vol9 no2)
This is a lovely album, self-produced with beautiful arrangements. The songs are in a variety of moods, some romantic ... others more upbeat. The album kicks off in good rocky fashion with The Desert Was Better - nice keyboard additions to that, Norman's direct, urgent vocals. And the mandolin gives it a slightly Latin folk touch suitable for a song about a desert. The next song This Horse has a good driving riff with sharp guitar work. It is a rueful song about the death of the talent when the muse forgets your phone number. The title track is lyrical and haunting - ghostbusters would have to be called to get it out of your head.
These are the tracks that stand out, although Norman's 'greatest hit' The Ballad of Bob Dylan is there and as always thoroughly enjoyable and Winter Sky has spare, elegant lyrics with a Scottish folk sound.
Norman Lamont: The Wolf Who Snared the Moon (Out of the Bedroom review 26/07/04)
... this song (The Wolf) is nothing less than belting genius. All Norman's producer and arranger skills have been brought to fruition on this gloriously cinematic Bond-esque piece of audio drama. Starting quietly, it build slowly to an unstoppable momentum of timpani, pianos, Alison Hennesey customarily outstanding on violin, guitars, the G playing some fine drums to boot. A great vocal from Norman, proclaiming that "I intend to be/The one/The Wolf Who Snared The Moon". A piece of pop genius! I demand that this be the next Bond theme tune!
Winter Sky is gorgeous, it's always been a favourite of mine, the simplicity of the song is like a crisp sunny dawn in winter...
A Forest Trail In Autumn is a song of genius, and I think Norman has done a good job of capturing it on this CD. The tale of the chance meeting in the wood is haunting and spellbinding...
Norman Lamont: The Wolf Who Snared the Moon (The List 24 June 2004)
... there's competition from the east coast in the form of the fantastically-named Norman Lamont, who bolsters his Jonathan Richman-style debut with some rockier moments, some a capella and even The Ballad of Bob Dylan done in the style of the gruff troubadour himself.
The Wolf Who Snared the Moon reviewed by Electra
On first listen I find the first two tracks “The Desert Was Better” (Ennio Morricone would approve the opening bars) and “This Horse” (my favourite track on the album) both lively and engaging. I'm absolutely desperate to know what 4 th trk “Polecats” is about. The other songs on the album display Norman's typically deep reflection channelled outward as light but carefully biting wit – nobody gets hurt, put down, tarnished or reproached.
As I am coming to know Mr Lamont through his music, it appears his trademark and gift is indeed lupine in nature; shades of dark dressed as light. The camouflage of what might possibly be painful truths or powerful presence with an eloquently allegoric sleight-of-hand. A kind of verbal prestidigitation. Now you see it, now you don't, but you want to hear it again in the hopes you will catch a glimpse; the wolf slinking near invisible through the forest – smiling before the bite. The track ‘Ballad to Bob Dylan' is a must listen mnemonic-filled foot-tapper that signs off with the line; “Some days I get bitter, some days I get worse… just write another song and play it to the nurse.” Forget the nurse, play it to us.
The album culminates in a truly beautiful song “The Wind Like Lace On Greenan Shore”. Norman Lamont is a wonderful songwriter, spinning yarns and throwing out pearls of wisdom, observations; verbal gift baskets.
The packaging of ‘The Wolf Who Snared The Moon' is well above standard. An 8-page full-lyrics list and other notes insert, makes for compelling reading. The artwork is as subtle and evocative as Norman's words.
Norman Lamont and Lynsey Hutchinson, Out of the Bedroom 29 April 2004
With a new CD to plug he launched into Call Back, Fall Back that
had a traditional sounding guitar backing which showed his immense playing
talent off fantastically. Once described as ‘a surreal Bob Dylan’ Norman’s
vocals had a clear yet a strangely slight breathy tone (in a good way of
course). His direct lyrical style aimed at a friend with lines such as
‘velvet world is closing around you’ and ‘when it falls apart, when he
breaks your heart, you’ll ask for me’ made this a powerful number.
Norman’s witty repartee introduced the next song This Horse, again
accompanied by Lynsey playing a bass part on a guitar. This had a bluesy walking rhythm
and was a humorous analogy of a songwriter losing their faith in music (‘I
used to sing these songs for money, for fun...I guess my singing days are
done’). With a chorus of ‘This horse don’t walk no more, this horse is dead’
and interjections of ‘What do you think Lynsey’ this song was performed with
the excellence we’ve come to expect and love from Norman. ‘Bye ba ba bye’...
Norman closed with a musical story about Bob Dylan (possibly) and an escaped
mental patient. He said it was about the only man he had ever heard of
succeed in making the TV news just for appearing in a women’s underwear
advert. An ironic and amusing tune this was all about the words with great
imagery like ‘Voice like a hangover looking for a cure’ and ‘It was like
watching Cain and Abel before the flood’ this is a man you can just sit back
and relax to.
Norman Lamont and the Innocents CD Living Water - Live Edinburgh Festival 2003
All in all, I think this is my favourite NL CD to date. Sure, it has its rough edges, and at times the Innocents are like Tim Buckley's band in that "they're together, but they're not tight". But at only £2 , it not only represents great value, but for me it captures that spark of what makes Norman and The Innocents so special. Great songs? You bet, and I can guarantee you'll be singing at least one of them the next day.
Nelson Wright, OOTB Discussion Board
Norman Lamont and the Innocents at the Listening
Room Sunday 16 June 2002
A brilliant gig, Norman was bursting with great singing and infectious good
humour, Alison's violin playing was breathtaking, her backing vocals beautiful,
and The G's "acoustic drumkit" was inspired and original. One of the best
gigs I've been to in a while, I especially liked their rendition of "New Eyes",
and "Crying In The Street". It was hotter than a sauna in that room, but no-one
minded staying due to the quality of the music.