"Charles Darwin", the lead track on the Low Anthem's new album is absolutely gorgeous. It has an angelic quality, like the Whiles' "Lonesome Reply" or the Fleet Foxes' "White Winter Hymnal". After the beautiful quiet folk of "To Ohio", the band picks up the tempo and switches to a couple of backwoods sing-alongs with scratchy, gargled-sand vocals and roughly strummed guitar on "Horizon Is A Beltway" and "Home I'll Never Be". Then it's mostly back the quiet lullabies. On "Cage The Songbird" Ben Knox Miller's voice sounds a little like Phil Collins, which in this case isn't a bad thing. This album might have benefited from the division provided by the sides of an LP, but regardless of tone, all the songs mentioned are great.
March 24, 2009
The Low Anthem - Oh My God, Charlie Darwin (2009)
"Charles Darwin", the lead track on the Low Anthem's new album is absolutely gorgeous. It has an angelic quality, like the Whiles' "Lonesome Reply" or the Fleet Foxes' "White Winter Hymnal". After the beautiful quiet folk of "To Ohio", the band picks up the tempo and switches to a couple of backwoods sing-alongs with scratchy, gargled-sand vocals and roughly strummed guitar on "Horizon Is A Beltway" and "Home I'll Never Be". Then it's mostly back the quiet lullabies. On "Cage The Songbird" Ben Knox Miller's voice sounds a little like Phil Collins, which in this case isn't a bad thing. This album might have benefited from the division provided by the sides of an LP, but regardless of tone, all the songs mentioned are great.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
12 Comments:
Did you just describe a song as "absolutely gorgeous"? Is that like "hot" gorgeous or "cute" gorgeous?
As in breathtaking or stunning.
There is no such thing as cute gorgeous.
Damn. Well then, I better stop using that as my go-to deal closer.
I have been listening to this all morning and have arrived at the conclusion that the mellow, sleepy, almost fragile tracks are my favorite.
I keep getting jarred by "Home I'll Never Be" & "Horizon Is A Beltway" in the middle of the album because their grit and intensity is so starkly contrasting.
Of the "heavier" tracks I like "Champion Angel," but I think "To Ohio (Reprise)" and "Charlie Darwin" are my top two.
So would you describe the song "Charlie Darwin" as gorgeous?
"Gorgeous," to me, has such a powerful meaning that I really save it for facetious moments of praise and tongue-in-cheek quips... in the same realm as "precious," the way Gollum uses it.
I do think "Charlie Darwin" is an excellent song with tender, beautifully fragile vocals and soothing acoustic guitar... I guess "gorgeous" is an appropriate term under the circumstances.
This band is awesome. Have you listened to their other album "What the Crow Brings?"
You can stream it on their site.
OMG, what is wrong with sounding like Phil Collins, whether you are Phil himself or sound like him in the case of Low Anthem. Sigh, musicians should be so lucky to even be associated with such a genius!!!
"Do you like Phil Collins? I've been a big Genesis fan ever since the release of their 1980 album, Duke. Before that, I really didn't understand any of their work. Too artsy, too intellectual. It was on Duke where Phil Collins' presence became more apparent. I think Invisible Touch was the group's undisputed masterpiece. It's an epic meditation on intangibility."
Sorry, this conversation would not be complete without quoting American Psycho.
Man, I guess I need to see the movie to get the quote.
I don't know if they were being facetious, but "Invisible Touch" is one of my favorites. Phil Collins doesn't get the respect he deserves. "One More Night" and "Hold On My Heart" are some of the most beautiful love songs I've ever heard. I'm talking chills, man.
I highly recommend the movie and the book (although the book is NOT for people who are easily offended), especially for the honest and hilarious music oriented monologues.
Phil Collins, Whitney Houston, INXS, Huey Lewis and The News...
Post a Comment