Low has always, in my opinion, been misinterpreted. People have gotten caught up in the Minimalist and Post-minimalist tag while the band has long abandoned that sound. The band has always seemed to me to have elements of old-school country in their sound. Whether it’s Alan Sparhawk’s bluesy croons or their themes of death and the devil, Low’s music is religious in the way Johnny Cash’s was. This element has been seen in live settings, and emerges more fully on their eighth full-length album (and second on Sub Pop), “Drums and Guns.” The table is set dramatically on opening track “Pretty People” where Sparhawk lists countless types of people – soldiers, poets, the pretty ones – following each with a refrain that is once menacing, sobering and true: “You’re all gonna die.” Also included is “Murderer,” a track that was originally released on an EP a few year ago. It’s also difficult to not read the pill story “Dragonflies” as autobiographical in light of Sparhawk’s public disclosure of mental illness. So there’s a lot of darkness here, but this is not really anything new for Low, who have songs called “Drugs,” “Violence” and “Whore” in their catalog.
What is new here is the sound. Coming off what was their most “rock” record (and one of their strongest) 2005’s “The Great Destroyer,” this new album sheers away much of that heft and muscle in favor of drum machines, looped guitar and Midi keyboards. While a number of the tracks are lively, they are all more… well, minimalist than most of their recent records, which have shown the band adding more dynamics. It’s also worth noting that this is their first recording without longtime bassist Zak Salley (the bass duties here are handled by Matt Livingston). The good news is that the stripped down arrangements place the focus almost exclusively on Sparhawk and Mimi Parker’s vocals, which is never a bad thing. The two sound great as usual here, and their melodies are generally up to the tasks. The problems is that, on most of the tracks, the barer sound is too staid and underwhelming. It shifts back to the familiar criticism that I though Low had evolved past – that their music is too sleepy. Furthermore, I’m hardly ever into the way drum machines sound in the context of live music, and the glitchy, hissy drum pops here detract from the record. “Take Your Time” has the trademark dramatically haunting and ethereal ballad, but the drums clicks sound like an unfinished demo. Similarly, the new version of “Murderer,” full of bass synth and weird washy sounds, doesn’t have the stark beauty of the original version, which was always one of Low’s best non-album tracks.
In some ways, it’s unfortunate, because this album has some excellent songs. “Belarus” is features a lovely vocal flourish by Parker on the chorus that contrasts nicely against the heaviness of the lyrics on “Pretty People.” “Hatchet” adds some levity to the mix with the running refrain “Let’s bury the hatchet like the Beatles and the Stones,” while giving the album’s most spirited performance. “Your Poison” shows Low’s understanding of choir dynamics and “Violent Past” is perhaps the best application of new elements – the organ tone and drum thwacks reminds one of the sound of the last album’s “Monkey,” but with an indelible melody. Low have been long been underappreciated, as well as misunderstood, in indie-music circles, and their body of work has countless highlights. “Drums and Guns” add a couple of new tracks to that highlight reel, but with the distracting and unimpressive arrangements, not as many as one would have hoped. |