The Designer's Drugs

Medium: Album
Stimulus: Lonely London Lad – Foaming at the Mouth
Anno: 2010

This is what can happen when business is taken out of the business of making music. Lonely London Lad released their self titled debut album – and a double album at that – only last summer, and the group is now putting out their follow-up disc. In the normal music business model, the release of Foaming at the Mouth would have to wait at least another year, probably longer, in order for the previous release to run its course and to build up the next advertising campaign and mythology for the new token creativity. Well, if there is one thing that Lonely London Lad is not afraid of, it’s oversaturation. And good for them. The path that this group has thus far undertaken is evidence that the life of an independent musician can be much more liberating, creative, and fun than the calculated moves of a sponsored player.

What’s most notable about Lonely London Lad’s accelerated and independent schedule is that the group doesn’t descend into solipsism in pursuing it. Whereas its original album was a broad array of sonic experiments that somehow worked as a whole, Foaming at the Mouth pulls its songs into a tighter formation. It continues the style of eclectic rock that owes few instrumental obligations, but this time around the song structures are more constant. Even more constant is singer Robert Savage; while his lyricism retains its whimsical and random veneer, his vocal delivery takes fewer leaps outside of his usual croons and drawls. This turns out to not be a bad thing, though. By putting away his cackles and robot voices, Savage becomes more of an anchor to the music, even while he’s going on about John Wayne and chain gangs.

The track that pays tribute to said Duke is among the album’s most notable, largely because it’s a bizarro country tune that sounds like nothing else on the disc. While the bass, piano, keyboards and drums ride like the tired gunslinger himself, Savage delivers what sound to be his least offhand lyrics in praise of this real American man.

The other track that stands out most is “Men.” Lonely London Lad certainly knows how to open an album, but whereas the opener on its debut was brooding and sinister, this track hits the ground running with bouncing bombast and Savage playing it cool. If there is a single to be found, this is it.

The ultimate impression that Foaming at the Mouth gives is one of growth and choice, as though the flood of songs on the first album painted the landscape and this album provided its roads. In this case, choosing a direction hasn’t lessened the ability to play around with the format – and for Lonely London Lad, that ability remains paramount.