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A_Northern_Soul · Post by **A_Northern_Soul** » Tue Dec 10, 2013 8:42 am

For some reason Low are one of those bands i'd just never got around to checking out, but recently heard a track of theirs on a Sub Pop compilation and love it. Any fans here with advice on where to start on Low's back catalogue?

Show me, show me Low...

fujee · Post by **fujee** » Tue Dec 10, 2013 12:13 pm

Start with I Could Live I Hope. Gorgeous album.

tiges · Post by **tiges** » Tue Dec 10, 2013 12:23 pm

Well depends on which track you liked on the compilation. They have changed over the years. They started off ultra minimal, slow and quiet, gradually got louder, have at times got more commercial, and there are side projects of Alan's as well.

The first two albums are not brilliant although each has a couple of stunning tracks - I Could Live in Hope has Lazy and Words, and Long Division has Violence and Shame. The third album "As the Curtain hits the Cast" is their first great album and Secret Name is pretty great too. Things We Lost in the Fire is the first one they start to get louder, in particular Dinosaur Act has loud guitar solos. Trust and The Great Destroyer continue to have loud patches. Drums and Guns is the only album that I don't like, there are some good songs that come across well live but the arrangements are duff on record. There's a great song Murderer that was released as a 10" single, the single version is superb compared to the album version. C'Mon and the Invisible Way are poppier.

There are collaborations with the Dirty Three and Spring Heel Jack (particularly Hand So Small) that are worth checking out. Also Retribution Gospel Choir is Alan indulging his rock side, sounds quite Neil Young and Crazy Horse at times.

Hope that Helps

A_Northern_Soul · Post by **A_Northern_Soul** » Tue Dec 10, 2013 1:11 pm

That's fantastic, cheers.

This was my introduction to Low:

Obviously I could rake about Spotify or YouTube, but it's always good to get personal opinions.

jcnporter · Post by **jcnporter** » Tue Dec 10, 2013 6:02 pm

Secret Name is a great album and as good an introduction as any, I think. This is a highlight -

Also agree about the 'Bombscare EP' with Springheel Jack being a high point.
My introduction to Low was a mate in a band putting on 'Over the Ocean' (the incredible live version from 'One more reason to forget') at a party about 12 years ago and it just stopped me in my tracks. That version is still their greatest tune, in my opinion, and the song I'd like played at my funeral.

They've also done probably the greatest Christmas song ever -

energywarning · Post by **energywarning** » Thu Dec 12, 2013 7:01 pm

This documentary is pretty nice. I think it was from this European television show that also did similar pieces on Sparklehorse and other great bands.

I met Alan and Mimi earlier this year and they're wonderful people.

turquoise70 · Post by **turquoise70** » Sun Dec 29, 2013 9:47 am

energywarning wrote:

This documentary is pretty nice. I think it was from this European television show that also did similar pieces on Sparklehorse and other great bands.

I met Alan and Mimi earlier this year and they're wonderful people.

I realize this is probably none of my business, so there's likely no way you'd know either, but... are they Mormon? I thought I read in an interview somewhere that they were Mormon.

It always does weird things for me when someone whose music I really like turns out to be of a religion that weirds me out.

Low is amazing music though. I love their slowwwwwww stuff but I also am a big fan of C'mon.

energywarning · Post by **energywarning** » Sun Dec 29, 2013 3:36 pm

turquoise70 wrote:
I realize this is probably none of my business, so there's likely no way you'd know either, but... are they Mormon? I thought I read in an interview somewhere that they were Mormon.

It always does weird things for me when someone whose music I really like turns out to be of a religion that weirds me out.

Low is amazing music though. I love their slowwwwwww stuff but I also am a big fan of C'mon.

That they are. But, they're pretty progressive about things ( It seems more like a way to keep order in their lives than blind devotion. Usually that religious aspect can have an effect on how I hear music, but they're very good people and clearly not insane. I guess it may be similar to that negative amazon review of Geogaddi where the person was convinced BoC were pagans/satanists.

When I met them at this festival put on by Wilco, I asked Alan about that line in "Witches" about people trying to act like Al Green. He sat straight up and explained that it was a line from a Kool Keith/Dr. Octagon song and kept recommending that I check it out. Really swell people.

Amo Bishop Roden · Post by **Amo Bishop Roden** » Sun Dec 29, 2013 3:41 pm

turquoise70 wrote:
energywarning wrote:

This documentary is pretty nice. I think it was from this European television show that also did similar pieces on Sparklehorse and other great bands.

I met Alan and Mimi earlier this year and they're wonderful people.
I realize this is probably none of my business, so there's likely no way you'd know either, but... are they Mormon? I thought I read in an interview somewhere that they were Mormon.

It always does weird things for me when someone whose music I really like turns out to be of a religion that weirds me out.

Low is amazing music though. I love their slowwwwwww stuff but I also am a big fan of C'mon.

1000x this.

It's not that I don't respect their beliefs or anything, but it's always weird to find out that someone you regard as very intelligent, talented, or whatever turns out to believe some pretty wacky shit (and for the record, I think all dogmatic religions are wacky - not just Mormonism.) I felt the exact same way when I found out Sufjan Stevens was Christian. It doesn't come through much in his songwriting or public image, but it's always there for me, on the back burner.

Oh, and I read that they were Mormons somewhere too. But at least they're cool Mormons.

bearhead · Post by **bearhead** » Thu Jan 02, 2014 3:43 am

Low is one of my favorite bands.

However, I only really care about their earlier records. I feel like after Secret Name, they went off into this other direction I don't much care for.

Their first four records, including their compilation of demos and whatnot, I wholeheartedly recommend.

jcnporter · Post by **jcnporter** » Thu Dec 15, 2016 10:43 pm

Saw Low (for the first time) on Monday night in Belfast - played pretty much all their Christmas mini-album, plus other stuff - they're fucking brilliant.

mechanismj · Post by **mechanismj** » Mon Dec 19, 2016 6:16 am

jcnporter wrote:Saw Low (for the first time) on Monday night in Belfast - played pretty much all their Christmas mini-album, plus other stuff - they're fucking brilliant.

They are amazing live. Saw them open for Slowdive a couple years back. Great show!

dp · Post by dp » Sun May 21, 2017 10:01 pm

Bumping this shit.

I only recently got in to Low. I've went through their entire discography and I am completely in love. I'm not sure where they've been my whole life, but I'm so glad I've found them.

Their latest album, Ones and Sixes, is highly highly recommended. It's really good and may be the best album they've made.

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