Review: Low, Things We Lost In The Fire
I had a minor disagreement with a long-time Low cohort about this album this past week; his first impressions were that they attempted to throw too many sounds into it and consequently the album sounded like a mess. I disagree, although I'm willing to state that in the canon of Low releases, this doesn't rank at the top. "Dinosaur Act," the first song released as a single, grates with an annoyingly nasally chorus and a bad lyric. What's a chorus doing on a Low song anyway?

Never mind, there are some moments of real beauty here and most people familiar with Low will be comforted by Mimi's vocals on "Laser Beam" and "In Metal," another song that exemplifies the impact the birth of a child has had on Mimi and Alan. "Sunflower" is the most dynamic song Low have opened an album with, and the middle of the album features a few songs which introduce vibes, strings, and horns into the mix. "July" and "Embrace" show Low willing to venture into more lush territory with excellent results. The standout track for me is "Whore," a relatively upbeat, slightly psychedlic composition with a buzzing guitar and a swoony chorus. Similarly, "Like a Forest," underpinned by the surging string quartet, is a brief piece of pure pop.

At times the new musical direction (such as it is) recalls Ida (and Ida Pearle, that band's namesake and very occasional guest musician, does feature here) which might make some wonder why Low don't stick with the formula that worked and not step into another band's territory. But unless Warn Defever gets his oven mitts into their studio, they'll continue to retain a strong sense of their own identity.

Labels: low, reviews