Norman Lamont
Album: Anywhere But Here
Label: Habibi
Tracks: 12
Website: http://www.normanlamont.com

I'm sure that Norman Lamont is fed up with reviewers drawing witty comments by making cheap comparisons with a badger browed, incompetent, politician of the same name. The only thing they appear to have in common is the blues, though here one delivers in the musical genre, the other delivers the blues via incompetently enforced interest rates.

"Anywhere But Here" is actually a compilation of tracks from his previous releases, "The Wolf Who Snared The Moon"(2004), "Romantic Fiction"(2005), "Romantic Fiction2"(2006) and "Roadblock"(2008), the title track being specifically recorded for this compilation, whilst the other tracks are remastered.

Now I must confess that until I had a copy of "Anywhere But Here" drop through the letterbox, I hadn't really come across Norman Lamont, which is predominantly explained by geography, Lamont is based in Scotland and the previous releases being in the home region, this is an album that will hopefully get him to a wider audience with a showcase of what he's capable of.

In the opening paragraph I used the word blues, but that is only a small part of the story and sound, it's an influence on the sound, but then so is jazz and alternate rock. As with the likes of Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen, Bowie and Dylan, an artist Lamont pays tribute to in "The Ballad Of Bob Dylan", Norman Lamont is writer that draws out the requirements that the song needs, rather than tie himself to a specific genre and that's something that gets magnified in a compilation.

"Anywhere But Here" is a good calling card, Norman Lamont has definitely moved into my consciousness, he can pen a decent song. This is an artist that can reach out to and entertain a wider audience and this may well be the key to that door.

Neil King