Merz first appeared back in the late 1990’s with a self-titled debut that was highly praised but seemed to be quickly forgotten. It took six years to release the follow-up. With a voice that could convey euphoria as capably as despair, Conrad Lambert could have been West Yorkshire’s answer to Stevie Wonder. Yet although he currently has no fixed abode, the third album has only taken three years to make and – with his voice maturing nicely - there’s still time yet to make a lasting impression.
After a gentle folky beginning, events get really interesting three tracks in when ‘Shun’ enters the fray and Lambert really starts to show his talent. Against a light electronica backdrop, Lambert uses his seductive, soulful tones to embellish a mysterious melody. It even gets away with a power synth outro that is about as subtle as the chorus to Van Halen’s ‘Jump’. Yet the real find is ‘Malcolm’; a sad yet uplifting number where the cracks in Lambert’s always rich voice reveal a real sense of emotion. So much so that when he sings “sometimes I feel it’s just within my grasp” over a backgrond of brass and string instruments, a real spinge-tingling moment is reached.
Other songs like the bright ‘Presume Too Much’ and the simplistic yet charming final couplet ‘The Bells Left To Chime’ and ‘The First And Last Waltz’ are a joy to listen to mainly because of those wonderful vocals. Yet despite never being quite as consistently great and varied as his debut, on ‘Moi Et Mon Camion’, Merz clearly still proves his talent and he should not be overlooked again.
Web Sites:
Merz Official Site
Merz MySpace
Further Listening:
Stevie Wonder, Waterson
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