- Merz (musician)
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Merz 
Merz (Conrad Lambert) performing at Joe's Pub, New York City, 17 September 2008Background information Origin Dorset, England Genres Alternative, electronica, folk Years active 1999–present Labels Epic (1999-2000)
Grönland (2005–present)Website merz.co.uk Merz is an English multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter. He has released three albums.
Contents
Biography
Early life
Born Conrad Ewart Lambert in Dorset, England, he grew up in Wakefield & Huddersfield, Yorkshire. He moved to London in 1992.
Career
Merz had two minor hits in 1999 in the UK Singles Chart with "Many Weathers Apart" and "Lovely Daughter".[1] Later that same year, his eponymous debut album was released on Epic Records. The album combined elements of electronica with strains of folk and drew critical acclaim.[2] However the commercial success which had been predicted by many in the music industry and press failed to materialise, and Merz withdrew from his recording contract with Epic's parent company, Sony BMG, in 2000.
His second album, Loveheart, surfaced five years later on the independent Grönland label. Whilst it also won plaudits and was well-received in the music press, it escaped the hype that surrounded the first album.
Since Loveheart was released, Merz toured Europe with The Earlies, playing all over the world at festivals as diverse as UK's Green Man, Montreux Jazz festival in Switzerland and SXSW in USA. More acclaim followed in the US, where the track ‘Dangerous Heady Love Scheme’ was iTunes Single of the Week, and ‘Postcard From A Darkstar’ was also Single of the Week with influential LA radio station KCRW.
Merz spent much time travelling around England the consecutive few years, and this restless spirit set the tone for his third album Moi et Mon Camion (2008). Named after a West Country removal firm who have moved Conrad and his wife's belongings several times. The album itself was written on the move, as Merz was relocating from Bristol, to Plymouth then subsequently to Bath. The album features two collaborations with Paul Hartnoll of Orbital.
The recording of the album also happened on the move, in numerous different locations. From Peter Gabriel’s Real World studios just outside Bath, to the Rockfield Studios in Wales, the Yorkshire Moors and even outside in the woods. Conrad was joined by a few notable musicians for this record. Charlie Jones, some time bass player with Robert Plant & Jimmy Page and Goldfrapp helped out, as did Clive Deamer, drummer for Portishead and Roni Size. The Earlies also join Conrad for a guest spot, singing backing vocals on ‘Call Me’, dropping in on their way back from playing at Glastonbury Festival. This 3rd album also gained Merz much critical acclaim.
Merz currently divides his time between the Swiss Alps, where his wife resides, and being on the road with his concert tours.
Merz's parents, David and Lois Lambert, live in Chingeltei district, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, where his father works at the Hartford Institute of Mongolia and his mother for the United Nations.
Discography
Albums
- Merz (1999), Epic Records
- Loveheart (October 2005), Grönland
- Moi et Mon Camion (2008), Grönland
- No Compass Will Find Home (2011)
EPs
- "CC Conscious EP" (Oct' 1998)
- "Lotus EP" (March 2000)
- "Daytrotter Session" (Jan 2009)
- Postcard From A Dark Star EP (January 2006), Grönland
- Silver Tree EP (June 2006)
Press
Loveheart (2005) reviews
"An album of rare musical intelligence, illuminated by intriguing arrangements…there's no doubt he's a significant if eccentric talent"[3]
"Eerie and hypnotic, with exquisite melodies and evocative arrangements, this is a treasure chest of emotion."[4]
"Distinctive and enchanting."[5]
"Original, sculpted (and) emotionally powerful(...) The sad, yearning nature of the project is evident from opener Postcard From A Dark Star, and Lambert's overt talent unfolds through a procession of whimsical ornamentation (howling winds, tinkling harpsichords, eerie bells) and dynamic songwriting"[6]
"Lyrical candour and dreamlike soundscapes, (...) one of this year's most hopeful records."[7]
"wide-ranging influences aside, what makes this record special is its inventive, contemporary approach to some very beautiful and accessible songs. Oh, and Merz's heartbreakingly evocative voice helps a bit… It's a winner, kids"[8]
"After a six year absence, Merz fans (like the heavily influenced Chris Martin), had almost given up on him. Loveheart, in typically understated style, quietly announces that he's back. The man behind 1999 hit single Many Weathers Apart still has that distinct mix of singer/songwriter, fairytale melodies and electronic beats. Dangerous Heady Love Scheme sounds like a music box. Warm Cigarette Room laments his cosy domesticity to a claustrophobic heartbeat, and My Name Is Sad and At Sea cements Merz's reputation as a master of modern folk. Just a shame Chris Martin had to rip him off."[9]
Moi Et Mon Camion (2008) reviews
"... trust Conrad Lambert, AKA Merz, to pen a darkly romantic album that could soundtrack the tragic yet uplifting tale of an eviction as directed by Wim Wenders. (...) It’s Lambert’s extraordinary voice that unifies the album – high and pure, rough-edged and wise. His songs are more timeless than modern and honed to a fine emotional candour."[10]
"If this record consisted in its entirety of just the few seconds of ethereal backing vocals at the end of Call Me, I would still consider it a likely candidate for album of the year. It’s that special. (...) Lambert’s hypnotic voice and irresistible melodies that hold the attention. Only two questions remain: why isn’t he much, much more famous, and why did he name this album after a removal truck?"[11]
"If (like me) this is your first encounter with Merz, you might be amazed that you haven't heard him before. Moi et Mon Camion requires close attention, rarely shouting loud enough to make him a mainstream proposition. But why complain when it's often akin to being whispered a beautiful secret?"[12]
"Gorgeous harmonies and a lovely, lucid (if slightly unnerving) guitar riff frame this ballad (...) As befits the subject matter, it’s tense and fraught – yet sprung with expectation and the hope of a new beginning. It bodes extremely well for his forthcoming third album, Moi Et Mon Camion."[13]
References
- ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 361. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ Album: Merz by Andy Gill of The Independent on Sunday, 14 October 2005
- ^ Daily Telegraph
- ^ Merz: Loveheart by Betty Clarke of The Guardian, 9 December 2005.
- ^ Daily Mirror 4/5
- ^ DJ Magazine 4.5 / 5.
- ^ The Observer Music Monthly of 18 September 2005.
- ^ Touch 4 / 5.
- ^ i-D Magazine, October 2005.
- ^ Merz: Moi Et Mon Camion by Emily Moore at Drowned In Sound, 17 March 2008.
- ^ Merz: Moi et Mon Camion by Mark Edwards of the Sunday Times, 23 March 2008.
- ^ Merz - Moi Et Mon Camion by John Donnelly of CD Times, 19 March 2008
- ^ Review: Presume Too Much by Gavin Martin of the Daily Mirror, 29 February 2008.
External links
Categories:- Living people
- English songwriters
- English male singers
- English rock singers
- English rock musicians
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