Low Cmon (Sub Pop)
4/5
By: Stephen Maughan
You might not be able to name all nine Low albums released throughout their 18 year history, but the chances are you have enjoyed their patient and steady music at some point, be it on their 2001 masterpiece Things We Lost In The Fire, their gorgeous Christmas EP, or anything else – there’s simply not a bad record. For a band, let alone a marriage (Low consists of husband and wife Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker) to last this long and still be putting out records of a constantly high standard is something quite remarkable.
C’mon kicks off with ‘Try To Sleep’ (see below) which sets the tone perfectly for this subtle album of touching and elegant melodies with deep and somewhat haunting lyrics (”you try to sleep, but then you never wake up...”).
What strikes me is the simplicity and elegance of C’mon which sounds close to perfect at times like ‘Especially Me’ and ‘$20’. This is a confident and talented band, and unlike previous Low releases C’mon doesn’t give in to despair - instead it takes you to the very edge before swooping you up in to warm and hazy sunlight.
The highlight of these ten simple songs is $20’, on which the words ”my love is for free” echo through the speakers like an old hymn. It’s so intimate you feel as thought you are sitting right there in the old Catholic church Low recorded the album in – the same one they used for Trust. I have no idea what the first dance song at the royal wedding will be, but they could do a lot worse than picking this beautiful number - “The dream is enough, the price is too much, but it's nothing to us”.
It’s becoming difficult as a fan of classy indie rock to imagine life without Low. Sure, they’ve had to balance marriage, children, nervous breakdowns and all sorts, but C’mon shows us a bright and confident band, still able to pen breathtaking melodies and lush lullabies that laugh in the face of anything unsavoury in the world.
Artists in this article: Low
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