Rise to a new Low

i'll admit it, i love Low. from the first time i saw them, opening for Soul Coughing back in '95 or '96, i've been an avid collector of their music and have seen them live whenever i could. unfortunately, the last two albums have seemed like a slide for them. Trust never really grabbed me, and The Great Destroyer left me thinking, "huh?" there are great tracks on both, notably, "When I Go Deaf" on Destroyer; but where Trust seemed to be almost formulaic, Destroyer was too much of a departure.

but it all makes sense now.

i was convinced that losing Zak Sally on bass after Destroyer was the beginning of the end. his ability to fill the spaces left by Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker without losing patience seemed a hard thing to replace. but now it seems that Trust was the rut, and Destroyer was the failed attempt at getting out of that rut. i'm not blaming Sally for Low's problems; i think it was probably just familiarity and comfort on all parties' parts that led to under- and then over-compensation.

but now, with Matt Livingston on bass, Low seems revitalized and there's an interesting mixture of departure and returning home that permeates the new Drums and Guns. more keys and drum machine beats make the album, at times, feel like dance music, but it keeps Low's minimalist flavor. "Hatchet" is a fine example. there are some extra layers previously untapped, and they are unafraid to get a little funky with their guitar and bass, complementing musically while paying homage to rivalries past. "let's bury the hatchet like the beatles and the stones..."

thematically, Low is dealing with newness and the pain of losing the old. this is definitely their most overtly political album, decrying violence, while recognizing that no one is entirely innocent. we all have blood on our hands. but that doesn't mean we shouldn't make our voices heard. this album is on topic and a product of today. "Murderer" is a great example--"one more thing before i go/one more thing i'll ask you lord/you made me a murderer/someone to do your dirty work."

but this album doesn't exactly rock, and that's a welcome return. "Take Your Time" is an excellent example: mellow, open and larger than life, it's the Low that i love; but with a piano part that i couldn't imagine on previous albums blending seamlessly on this one. now that i think about it, it reminds me of Radiohead's "Sit Down, Stand Up," but without breaking character--it's like Radiohead, but it's unmistakably Low.

"Violent Past" was an interesting choice for a final song. this album, and the songs on it, are too short for my liking, and this song leaves the listener wanting more--but perhaps that was by design. it's like they ended the album midway through. on the first few listens i've been wondering "where's the rest of it?" but based on the new line-up's first creation, the wait to see where they go next should be worth it.

in the mean time, i'll just look forward to their dates at the doug fir (my current favorite venue in Portland) in June. now to decide which date i go to, if not both...