LOW

Drums and Guns

2007-05-28

This album will be lauded as the return to form. Insisting that this release gets back to the band's slow core roots from earlier albums. Granted the band has gone back to a slower tempo, these songs seem to have a surge of brightness contrasting their previous slow core material. This album teeters a line between Howe Gelb's last efforts under the name Giant Sand and the fresh face political pleas for change a la Yo La Tengo's last 2 records. The Drums on this album are almost entirely performed by a drum machine, but this almost allows Low to get into some more ambient spaces than they had before, still subdued, but very alive. Think Postal Service on really really good cognac or ludes or both. Low is comprised of Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker. On this album they harmonize and shift moods reminding one of the later works of the Super Furry Animals, and this makes sense as it was produced by Dave Fridmann. Fridmann was responsible for what many now call Dream Pop (Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev) This is a definite step in the right direction for Low. Very solid effort. Fans of The Sea and The Cake and Luna or any of the above mentioned bands will enjoy Drums and Guns. Standout Tracks : 2.Belarus, 6. Always Fade, 8. Hatchet, 13. Violent Past. No FCC issues. – Oliver