Eric Lambert & The Laughing Gnomes

[Timothy Lynch]

ERIC LAMBERT & THE LAUGHING GNOMES, "YEAR OF THE GNOME"
(1998: Gnome Tunes / Sky Dog Records)

da Flower Punk - Oct. 13, 1998
<tly...@socrates.berkeley.edu>

You like electric blues rock? You'll probably like Eric Lambert
and the Laughing Gnomes then.

Eric Lambert and the Laughing Gnomes are based in Valparaiso,
Indiana. While he dedicates this album to Duane Allman, Jerry
Garcia, Lowell George and Berry Oakley, Lambert reminds me much
more of Stevie Ray Vaughan or early 1970s Eric Clapton than the
artists he lists. But that is still a good thing. These are
energetic party sounds; Lambert and company make good time,
rocking, blues and boogie music.

The Laughing Gnomes features Eric Lambert on a Fender
Stratocaster, often multi-tracking the guitars with layers of
acoustic rhythm and doubled leads on this studio project. He
also has a gritty voice which he generally uses to great effect.
The band backing him is comprised of electric bass, lots of soupy
Hammond organ, and a fine drummer.

Is Eric Lambert breaking any new territory open with his playing?
No. On the other hand these psychedelic-inflected blues rock
sounds are timeless. Lambert & the Laughing Gnomes are known for
their jamming in the genre, something a lot of us never really
get tired of. "Some For You," "Hard Luck Man," "Dirt Brown
Pillow," and "Gnome Blues," are all pretty good tracks.

Eric Lambert's limitations are revealed on the one folky,
acoustic cut that is incongruously placed about two-thirds of the
way through this disc, however. The finger-picking is alright,
but nothing to write home about; his vocals are thin and weak
here, especially compared to the high energy tracks that lay on
either side of this cut. While I can appreciate the sentiment
behind "When Zachary Smiles," I'll wander down to the nearest
coffee-house open-mic night when I'm looking for songs like this.
Lambert would do well to study songs like Lowell George's "Roll
'Um Easy" (from Little Feat's "Dixie Chicken") to figure out how
acoustic numbers can be worked into the mix more effectively.

That criticism aside, I do like most of what is included on this
disc. I think that Eric Lambert is definitely onto something,
and I'd like to see if he is as good live as he is on this CD. If
he is, we'll see him working with a higher production budget next
time around and that is something else I think his recordings can
benefit from. If you like danceable electric blues rock and
boogie played with passion and vigor, I suspect you'll like Eric
Lambert & the Laughing Gnomes, too. If he continues to make
sounds like these and continue to grow as a guitar player, singer
and writer, you may just hear Eric Lambert & The Laughing Gnomes
on commercial rock radio stations some day. Until then, be on
the lookout for him at clubs and festivals.

__________________________flowerpunkprods________________________

Visit Eric Lambert & The Laughing Gnomes on the web at
<http://www.worldpeaceday.com/gnome.html>.

This review will be archived at <pauserecord.com>.