Lambchop - How I Quit Smoking
List Price:
Our Price: $7.52
You Save: $4.46 (37%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $6.88 (click here)
Category: Music CD
See more CD details
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
CD Details
Artist: LambchopEdition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 1996-01-30
Music Label: Merge Records
Soundtracks:
- For Which We Are Truly Thankful
- The Man Who Loved Beer
- The Militant
- We Never Argue
- Life's Little Tragedy
- Suzieju
- All Smiles And Mariachi
- The Scary Caroler
- Smuckers
- The Militant
- Garf
- Your Life As A Sequel
- Theone
- Again
Music reviews of How I Quit Smoking
Music Review: Subtle but really incredible when you get it
Rating: 5 Stars
After the dramatic and (comparatively) upfront debut I Hope You're Sitting Down showed a remarkable combination of satirical lyrics and oddly beautiful folk music, Kurt Wagner and company moved much further down on the follow-up "How I Quit Smoking".
At first, "How I Quit Smoking" might appear to be merely badly played orchestral music that has no emotional effect on a listener whatsoever. The instruments that back the sparse folk-rock band that Kurt Wagner and company assembled appear indeed to float in and out of the mix at random from Kurt Wagner's first soft and hard-to-hear vocal on "For Which We Are Truly Thankful". Whilst the sparse beauty of this is undeniable and its emotion unique, it is only on the fifth track "Life's Little Tragedy", that we see the manner in which Kurt Wagner's eccentric chamber-folk has become a vehicle for what is not beautiful romance. Rather, the music serves as a perfect concealment to biting social commentary. Yet, unlike political punk bands, Lambchop's music has all the intimacy and folk group should: Kurt Wagner always is singing to the everyday person rather than just his fans.
The psychedelic, horn-laden "The Militant" is where "How I Quit Smoking" really takes off. The electric guitar is so soft and dense as to be a lurking complement to Wagner's lyric "he's directing his misinterpretation" and "any order, KKK". Even when one does not understand Kurt, it is clear to whom he is speaking. The discordant "All Smiles And Mariachi" showed Kurt to be actually capable of singing with real emotion behind a lurking drumbeat and guitar, whilst "The Scary Caroler" and "Smuckers" showed Wagner able to (like Shame MacGowan before him) use the most appropriate instrumentation to convey the truth behind the lives and wishes of the working class.
The second version of "The Militant" (track #10) is true druggy psychedelia that shows Kurt Wagner to be able to get angry seriously. The electric guitar on this version is remarkbly tuneful and the horns honk like few other albums, but still Lambchop managed to play as a unit like no other band. Deanna Varagona's plaintive voice here is an amazing contrast to the electric guitar, and this combination is seen again in a chilling manner on the chorus of "Garf". The closer "Again" strips "How I Quit Smoking" to its essence with a short instrumental consisting purely of strings.
Though this beautiful yet chilling album defies all notions of accessibility, it should prove, like Lambchop's unique 1994 debut I Hope You're Sitting Down to be one of the most rewarding purchases among 1990s music.
More How I Quit Smoking free music reviews:
1
1
Description of How I Quit Smoking
All products are BRAND NEW and factory sealed. Fast shipping and 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed.Alternative Rock CDs
Music Genres
Bestsellers in Alternative Rock CDs
Bouncing Souls - Maniacal LaughterRelease date: 1996-01-26; Music CD
Best price: $30.00
Blondie - Parallel LinesRelease date: 1994-07-29; Music CD
Best price: $149.98
Doors - L.A. WomanRelease date: 1993-04-09; Music CD
Best price: $99.99
Amon Duul - Phallus DeiRelease date: 1997-04-08; Music CD
Price in other shops:
Tangerine Dream - MelroseRelease date: 1990-10-02; Music CD
Best price: $74.98
Tangerine Dream - Private Music of Tangerine DreamRelease date: 1992-11-10; Music CD
Best price: $5.00
Price in other shops:
![Ska Explosion [VHS] Image](/images/Ska-Explosion-VHS-6303381014-X.jpg){kind=small}
Ska Explosion [VHS]Cleopatra; Release date: 1995-02-28; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $14.99
Price in other shops:
![Little Earthquakes [VHS] Image](/images/Little-Earthquakes-VHS-6302488664-X.jpg){kind=small}
Little Earthquakes [VHS]Atlantic / Wea; Release date: 1992-11-10; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $12.50
Price in other shops:
Exileby Geoffrey Oryema
Music CD
Best price: $4.95
![Louder Than Live [VHS] Image](/images/Louder-Than-Live-VHS-6301627865-X.jpg){kind=small}
Soundgarden - Louder Than Live [VHS]A&M Video; Release date: 1991-07-01; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $192.68
Similar CDs
Lambchop - Aw CmonRelease date: 2004-02-17; Music CD
Best price: $8.14
Price in other shops:
Lambchop - Decline of Country & Western Civilization Part IIRelease date: 2006-04-11; Music CD
Best price: $8.49
Price in other shops:
Lambchop - Tools in the DryerRelease date: 2001-09-18; Music CD
Best price: $10.86
Price in other shops:
Lambchop - ThrillerRelease date: 1997-09-23; Music CD
Best price: $8.34
Price in other shops:
Lambchop - NixonRelease date: 2000-02-08; Music CD
Best price: $7.32
Price in other shops:
Lambchop - Damaged (Dig)Release date: 2006-08-22; Music CD
Best price: $12.39
Price in other shops:
Lambchop - Oh (Ohio)Release date: 2008-10-07; Music CD
Best price: $10.31
Price in other shops:
Lambchop - What Another Man SpillsRelease date: 1998-09-08; Music CD
Best price: $7.52
Price in other shops:
Lambchop - Is a WomanRelease date: 2002-02-19; Music CD
Best price: $8.87
Price in other shops:
Lambchop - Mr. MRelease date: 2012-02-21; Music CD
Best price: $9.73
Price in other shops: