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Some days it is hard to imagine what the indie music world would
be like without Low. The band has had as significant an
impact on the modern musical world as bands such as Galaxy
500 had on their own early recordings. I dare say, there would
be no Belle & Sebastian or their airy rock ilk without
first having Low. Drawing from the influences of the post-punk
movement, and morphing it into a tiny genre that I've always referred
to as slowgaze, Low began as a band bent on making reflective
and down tempo music. Like their forebears, they were hailed as
being depressing by those who didn't ken what they were all about,
too fast for those that embraced the true slowgaze movement of
Codeine, and a bit too American for many of the Britpop
kids who ultimately became their audience. After their first three
records, Low began to move away from the slow, dirgy aspects of
their music and began to embrace more of a rock and roll/pop ethos.
That transmigration seems to have finally been completed, as The
Great Destroyer contains no hints of the majestic turtle-speed
ethereal rock from whence the band came. Instead, we are treated
to thirteen songs of pure mid-tempo rock goodness, ranging in
sound from the familiar pop female-vocal sound of songs like "California"
to the synth heavy darkness of "Monkey". The album is
full of the trademark feedback heavy guitars and somber moods
that have always graced Low records, and drives harder than any
of their previous recordings. The lyrical content is far more
poetic and mature than on previous efforts, and shows that the
band is progressing far more as songwriters currently than as
sonic creators. The music contains the same warmth and depth that
fans of the band have come to expect, and find comfort in; but
the songs and sounds (excepting, of course, the glorious feedback)
are a bit more accessible, which should help to bring new sheep
into the fold.
-L. Keane
Track Listing:
1. Monkey
2. California
3. Everybody's Song
4. Silver Rider
5. Just Stand Back
6. On The Edge Of
7. Cue The Strings
8. Step
9. When I Go Deaf
10. Broadway (So Many People)
11. Pissing
12. Death Of A Salesman
13. Walk Into The Sea
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