LOVE Forever Changes (Sundazed) lp 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Love's 1968 masterpiece, repressed on 180 gram audiophile vinyl by the lovely folks at Sundazed! Eleven blissfully wonderful psychedelic classics that transcend time and place. If you've never heard this classic record before, then you must buy one now. Period. You will love it, promise. After all, it's got "Alone Again Or", possibly the greatest song ever written. Listen to the soundclip and you'll see why, or you'll be like, "Oh my god I love this song!" See, that's why they're called Love.
Compact disc with bonus, alternate takes also available on Elektra.
RealAudio clip: "Alone Again Or"

LOVE Forever Changes (Collector's Edition) (Elektra) 2cd 25.00
Yet another reissue of this all time classic. This time its a two disc set with an entire disc of demo's, out-takes, etc. If you don't own this record, you should!

LOVE Love Lost (Sundazed) cd 19.98
Most people know Love from their initial run in the mid to late '60s, culminating in the classic Forever Changes album. But there's much more to the story than what you will generally read about, and bandleader Arthur Lee soldiered on under the Love name with various lineups until the mid '70s. The results from Love's less popular phase are mixed, but these scrapped 1971 sessions for Columbia Records make it plain and clear: Arthur Lee still had it, at least in 1971.
Well, it must be said that most aQ staffers - ok, ALL of them except for one - were less than blown away by Love Lost, content to file it in the much maligned "blues rock" bin. Personally, I think these songs stand strongly on their own, but it does help to take things into perspective: if you saw your pioneering band torn apart by drug addiction, mental turmoil, and public indifference (among other things), you might have a case of the blues as well. With that said, calling this "blues rock" is off the mark, if you actually take the time to listen, and truthfully, it's hard to imagine a fan of Love not digging this. Sure, like most bands from the era, a heavy blues influence is there, but there's also a super charged folk vibe that had been with the band since the beginning, and many of the songs walk an interesting line between tough early '70s rock and more the introspective, melancholy numbers that had always been part of Love's agenda. Lee's voice sounds as amazing and self-aware as it always had, and his colorful lyrics are clearly the outcome of a powerful vision. It actually sounds like these sessions were fun, not agonizing, and it's refreshing hearing the band sound this lively. Not really sure why these songs have gone unreleased for almost 40 years, because Love Lost really does sound like a fully realized album, not just a collection of throw away demos. This work stands as a powerful reminder of Arthur Lee's talents and finds itself right at home within Love's untouchable legacy, but definitely don't expect another Forever Changes....
MPEG Stream: "Love Jumped Through My Window"
MPEG Stream: "I Can't Find It"
MPEG Stream: "Product Of The Times"
MPEG Stream: "Everybody's Gotta Live"

LOVE Out There (Universal) cd 16.98
There is almost a curse in creating something that so many people praise as "genius" and as your "defining moment". Such is the case with the legacy of one of the best west coast psych bands of the '60s, Love. For most people the story of Love begins and ends with Forever Changes, their undeniably classic album from 1967, a record that's been included on all sorts of best album of all time lists and has been the subject of entire books and magazines articles. Rightfully so, as it really is one of those classic timeless records that we turn to time and time again. But sadly the attention Forever Changes now attracts has obscured the fact that Arthur Lee (essentially the driving force of Love) created a whole lot of other amazing music that's not on Forever Changes. Lately we've been spending lots of time with Love's 1969 outing Out There which was originally released as a double lp and was pretty much a commercial flop (as was Forever Changes when it first came out!)
After disbanding and changing lineups almost every year in the late '60s and into the early '70s Love was pretty much the vehicle for the enigmatic world of Arthur Lee (who for some funny reason calls himself Arthurly in the credits of this record). Out There contains some of Lee's most devastating material, songs like "I'm Down" paint such a moving and sad portrait of the internal anguish that haunted Lee throughout a lot of his life. This disc really is all over the place, containing more playful and breezy tracks like "Run To The Top" and quite possibly one of our favorite Love song of all time, the ultra dreamy "Willow Willow", as well as the smart ass and anti-military "Discharged", the twelve minute percussive freakout of "Doggone" and the Hendrix like rocker "Stand Up".
While it's not without a few misses this still is one of the best records in the Love back catalog and strong proof that there is more to the story and Arthur Lee's genius than just Forever Changes.
MPEG Stream: "Willow Willow"
MPEG Stream: "Stand Out"
MPEG Stream: "Run to the Top"

LOVE s/t (Warner Europe) cd 16.98
The classic 1966 debut from Arthur Lee and co. remastered in both stereo and mono! Includes their intense take on Bacharach / David's "My Little Red Book", the fast paced, fuzzed out cover of "Hey Joe" and the heart-wrenching tearjerker "Signed D.C.". As an added bonus, the b-side "Number 14" and an alternate version of "Signed D.C." are also included.

LOVE s/t (Sundazed) lp 15.98
The classic 1966 debut from Arthur Lee and co. now reissued on 180 gram audiophile vinyl! Includes their intense take on Bacharach / David's "My Little Red Book", the fast paced, fuzzed out cover of "Hey Joe" and the heart-wrenching tearjerker "Signed D.C.".

LOVE AS LAUGHTER Holy (Epic) cd 13.98
While Sam Jayne might be best known for in Beck's band for the great One Foot In The Grave album (As well as being pictured on the cover), or being Isaack Brock's (Modest Mouse) best bud, but for us Sam Jayne will always be an important name in our record collections for the scrappy and catchy indie rock greatness he created with his band Lync in the 90's. Lync's album These Are Not Fall Colors will always be a bigtime AQ favorite, and in our minds one of the most underrated indie rock albums of all time! But in recent years Jayne has been busy with Love As Laughter, a band much more standard and straight ahead then anything Lync released. And maybe that's why we've never quite fallen in love with Love As Laughter like we did Lync. It's never had that urgency and spontaneous urgency that made Lync so endearing. But you can't be a teen forever and Jayne has grown up quite gracefully, making solid if not somewhat regular records that fit somewhere between Built To Spill and Band Of Horses.
MPEG Stream: "Holy"
MPEG Stream: "All Parts of Me"

LOVE AS LAUGHTER Laughter's Fifth (Sub Pop) cd 13.98
You know that feeling when you meet a new acquaintance who bears an uncanny resemblance to a dear old friend, and you automatically feel a warm familiarity towards him/her? Such is the case with this new Love As Laughter album. Yes, as the title tells us, this is their fifth album, and on it they try a little of this 'n' a little of that (some folksy twang and some 'blues' with kazoo!), but through it all they remain steadfast indie rockers. Really they've nailed the sound with such remarkable accuracy that '90s college radio stations would've gobbled this up in a second. In fact, to put it another way, Laughter's Fifth sounds as though the band took the ghosts of indie rock icons Pavement, the Replacements, Dinosaur Jr. and maybe even some Jesus And Mary Chain too (particularly on track 9 "Pulsar Radio") and slipped those bands' secret formulas into their pocket. Oddly enough back in those days it seemed like L.A.L.'s mainman Sam Jayne's previous band Lync was doin' its noisy, abrasive emo-punk best to fly in the face of such un-fiery fodder. Hmmm, not anymore. A mellowing with age? Dunno, but while they're definitely not breaking any new ground, they have made an album filled with very well-done songs of that ilk.
MPEG Stream: "I Won't Hurt You"
MPEG Stream: "Canal Street"

LOVE IS CHEMICALS s/t (Near Earth Objects) cd 9.98

LOVE IS CHEMICALS Song Of The Summer Youth Bridage (Near Earth Objects) cd 11.98

LOVE LIFE Rose He Lied By, The (Troubleman Unlimited) cd 11.98
Baltimore-based quartet (featuring former members of Universal Order of Armageddon and the Great Unravelling) who conjure up the same intense desperation and drug-addled lugubriousness that's already been perfected by the Jesus Lizard and the Birthday Party. Love Life's twist, however, is that it's a girl singing. Her voice is so unbelievable that without reading the liner notes you'd totally swear it was Nick Cave or David Yow.

LOVE LIVE LIFE + 1 Love Will Make A Better You cd 11.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Finally, a cd reissue of this extrememly rare, sought-after early '70's document of Japanese psychedelia. Includes a live bonus track. Essentially, freaked-out "krautrock" a la Faust, but from Japan. (There even seems to be a little Sly Stone to them too.)

LOVE MONSTER s/t (Wrong Way) cd 13.98
Love Monster is what the mighty Monster Magnet were called before they became Monster Magnet. These seven songs were recorded in 1988 on a four track, and it sounds like it. The cock rock swagger of later Monster Magnet is woefully absent, and in its place a garage-y hard rock that sounds a bit like Iggy Pop fronting Kiss. Or something. Not a bad thing, just really rough and raw and for superfans only.

LOVE OF DIAGRAMS Mosaic (Matador) cd 13.98
Indie record label giant Matador Records has long been the respected source for legendary indie rock with an eye on forward-looking (or at least very 'now' sounds). So, we guess we can't blame 'em for taking a lil' nostalgia kick now and again. In the press notes for this Australian band's latest album, the label makes reference to "what lazy people like to call 'post-punk'", but laziness has nothing to do with it. This IS post-punk. And they also use the phrase "with a decidedly experimental bent", but there's absolutely nothing 'experimental' about Love Of Diagrams' music. That doesn't mean it's not good, it's just a very misleading description. Anyways, Mosaic draws plenty of influence from the edgy female fronted contingent of that late '70s early '80s period (think Au Pairs, Siouxsie, Romeo Void). Urgent electric guitars, churning bass and insistent vocals propel the baker's dozen tunes that make up Mosaic. Think: an Australian sister band of Electrelane! Cool.
MPEG Stream: "Form And Function"
MPEG Stream: "Trouble"

LOVE SONGS s/t (Impatience or Indifference) cd 5.98
Love Songs is Craig from local bandana thrashers What Happens Next. But this has way more in common with his old band, Your Mother. Funny and fast, catchy and sorta goofy punk rock of the Descendents 'girls-don't-like-me-and-I'm-so-sad' variety. Pretty cool.

LOVE VIGILANTE Technically I'm Wrong (Three Ring Records) 7" 3.98
From the young Bay Area label whose roster continues to grow with such richly atmospheric mood rock combos as D.W. Holiday, Soltero and The Bother, comes this new quartet. Your introduction to Love Vigilante is a brief one. This record containing two of their drowsy indie pop tunes "Technically I'm Wrong" and "Days Of Auld Lang Syne (A Slacker's Ballad)".

LOVE X NOWHERE, THE Into The Fire e.p. (self-released) 12" 9.98
After two cd releases this local band have opted to enter the glorious vinyl realm... a limited 4-song 12" pressing no less! On "Into The Fire", The Love X Nowhere continue the bigger rock trajectory they set on their last release the Odyssey cdep. Comes in a brown cardstock sleeve nicely printed with a circle of black birds and radiating blue lines.

LOVE X NOWHERE, THE Odyssey (Red Gummy) cd ep 8.98
This Bay Area band follows up their 6-song debut with another fine cdep. Considerably less boyish pop and less space-psych than last time, and more manly rock. On this Odyssey they've opted for a bigger slicker arena rock trajectory that brings to mind shades of U2. Onwards and upwards, lads!
MPEG Stream: "Coming Down"
MPEG Stream: "Odyssey"

LOVE X NOWHERE, THE s/t [TLXN EP] (Bo La De Productions) cd ep 7.98
SF locals The Love X Nowhere's debut 6-song ep begins with a cloud of swirly keyboards. Visions take shape of a shimmering space ship comin' in for landing, but as the hatch opens we're greeted with straightforward energetic pop rocks. This first song "Unworthy" is propelled by a driving beat and boyish vocal harmonies that sorta reminded me of Sloan. From there things move back to the moodier, spacier and Pink Floyd-ier sound that was hinted at by those first few moments. Layers of trippy psych-folk-y acoustic and electric guitars with mellow male vocals. The highlights are definitely the aforementioned lead-off track and the second to last, a lush string-laden number "#45". Very nice! The cd closes with a thumpin' remix version of the third song "Freedom".
MPEG Stream: "Unworthy"
MPEG Stream: "#45"

LOVE, COURTNEY America's Sweetheart (Virgin) cd 16.98
Latest from Ms. Love. Good grief.

LOVELY MIDGET North Head (Family Vineyard) cd 14.98
Lovely Midget is Rachel Shearer, a long time player/participant in the New Zealand noise/drone/free rock underground. Lovely Midget, her one woman project, falls squarely in the ambient drone side of that NZ scene, along with likeminded Kiwis Flies Inside The Sun, Omit, etc. Dark and langorous soundscapes of gently rippling reverb, heartbeat like pulses buried beneath barely played guitars, rumbling almost-not-there bass, occasional percussive clatter, and ultra minimal vocalisations. Some of the most beautiful, serene, dreamy ambient noise we've heard in a while.
MPEG Stream: "Squall"
MPEG Stream: "Fading"

LOVELY PUBLIC, THE Burning Tape At The Mystery Dinner (Wall Of Noise) cd 10.98
Very strange and cool. The debut album from this SF group brings with it a heady air of somber intrigue. The Lovely Public draws together many styles as they roam through different dramatic scenes, slinking in and out of the shadows -- like an ensemble of olden time court entertainers descending into an electrified pagan ritual. Burning Tape At The Mystery Dinner has elements of jazz, post-rock, avant-folk, pop, krautrock, psych and much more. Whew, can you keep up with them? At once, very trippy yet very surefooted. Fans of Oneida and the latest Liars album will probably find much to dig here. Recommended.
MPEG Stream: "Preparations"
MPEG Stream: "Delicious Surprise Kisses"

LOVEMAKERS Times Of Romance (Cherrytree/Interscope) cd 10.98
Well the 80's new wave resurgensation isn't over yet, friends. The thing is, despite how much our Lovemakers sound sooo much like Depeche Mode and Human League, their songs are so catchy and good! Their veer a little over into that territory of songkraft-cheesiness that DM and HL often lathered themselves in, you know... those tracks that aren't huge hits are pretty big stinkers. But the tracks on Times Of Romance are not huge hits, nor are they all thaaaat baaaad. At moments they nearly reach that level of huge new power-pop as seen in Maximo Park! If your sleek electro new wave personal dance party isn't over yet, you gotta pick this up. For fans of Interpol, The Faint, Maximo Park, and you know... those OLD bands, Depeche Mode, Human League, Soft Cell, etc.
MPEG Stream: "Prepare For The Fight"
MPEG Stream: "Is It Alright?"

LOVERS Sleep With Heat (Orange Twin) cd 15.98
Let's face it, there's a lot of singer/songwriter acoustic folk out there. Some we could simply live without, and many straddle the fence between good and not greatly stand-outish. An album can toe the line pretty convincingly with beautiful singing and decent guitar strumming, but the lack of well crafted songwriting becomes crystal clear when you hear a strikingly great singer/songwriter like Carolyn Berk, the brainchild behind Lovers. On Sleep With Heat, Berk's beautifully melancholic vocals paint scenes of love's exciting inception, unfortunate demise, and the subsequent struggle to let go so vividly that you can't help but be swept up in her emotional rollercoaster. Berk might be the broken heart of Lovers, but she couldn't have asked for a better backing band who sparingly contribute guitar, violin and drums as heavy hearted as the lyrical content. Highly recommended for fans of Mascott, Mirah, Mazzy Star, post-punk Raincoats and Bright Eyes or for anyone who needs a soundtrack for heartbreak.
MPEG Stream: "Frozen Floods"
MPEG Stream: "The Sirens Sing"

LOVESLIESCRUSHING Girl Echo Suns Veils (Projekt) 2cd + wooden box 54.00
Here's a record that we had been excited about for well over a year, back when Projekt announced that they would be releasing a 2cd set by Lovesliescrushing. This is a band that should warrant a much bigger pressing than the 300 copies of this elaborate box; but, at least we have a few copies to offer.
Lovesliescrushing is a shoegaze duo out of Tuscon, Arizona who made a surprise debut on the darkwave / goth label Projekt around 1993 or so, with the cassette Bloweyelashwish (which later did get a cd release). This album took the My Bloody Valentine overdrive of distortion, reverb, more distortion, and more reverb to a deconstructed end, further blurring the notion of song structure and entirely getting rid of the rhythm section. The duo has slowly been releasing work over the past two decades, gradually smoothing out the distortion and leaving an almost Tim Hecker like mass of droned texture from ethereal female vocals and once heavily distorted guitar wash.
The two discs of Girl Echo Suns Veils are split between the crunched shoegaze density of their earliest recordings and the most recent explorations of their narcotized drone-pop. Those early recordings are remastered from demo tapes dating back to 1990, when 'the noise' and 'the pretty' were coming together in equal resolve. The later material is certainly nothing to scoff at, and would make for a great addition to the next Pop Ambient compilation.
Brilliant stuff, and packaged in an oversized wooden box, hand silkscreened by Lovesliescrushing's Scott Cortez, with some collaged art work, and a feather or two found within. AND CRAZY LIMITED. We have less than 10 copies, and can NOT get more, so grab one while you can...
MPEG Stream: "Babys Breath (Original Version)"
MPEG Stream: "Spidery Velvet"
MPEG Stream: "Feathermouth"
MPEG Stream: "Goldenfur"

LOVESLIESCRUSHING Glissceule (Sonic Syrup) cd 9.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Back in stock, and always worth raving about. Here's the review we wrote when this came out originally: Shoegazing -- originally the derogatory term applied to bands like Ride, Slowdive, and My Bloody Valentine for the lackluster stage presence -- developed into an impressive aesthetic during the early '90s whereby the jangle of '60s psych-pop was married with Brian Eno's notions of ambient music as an oceanic / prelingual return to the womb. After its gilded crescendo from a couple of records (most notably MBV's Loveless), shoegazing as an artform faded away, with many of the original proponents shedding the layers of distortion to concentrate upon their songwriting (most notably Neil Halstead formerly of Slowdive, now a minstrel of sunny folk-rock). Loveliescrushing -- the post-shoegazing US duo of Scott Cortez and Melissa Arpin-Henry -- disagreed with this trajectory away from etherealism and towards songsmithery, thus centering their music around only the faintest residues of melody and ghostly reminders of what might be a song somewhere within all of their bleary-eyed guitar washes. Their first two exceptional albums (Bloweyelashwish and Xuvetyn) found their way onto Projekt, the stalwart proprietors of America's darkwave / goth scene, although they didn't readily fit with Projekt's aesthetic for black lace and blood red roses. The only connection with Projekt may have been in the mutual affinity for the Cocteau Twins, whose glossalaic siren songs certainly resonate within the incomprehensible siren-like vocalizations of Arpin-Henry. Yet for all of the aforementioned references, Loveliescrushing has little use for a rhythm section, presenting that soft female voice floating way off in the distance amidst oceans of radioluminescent layers of guitar reverberation. Compared to their previous records, Glissceule has smoothed over some of Loveliescrushing's expressionistic bursts of static and bristling noise, striving for a more enchanting eternal drone. In all probability, this will stand as one of my (Jim's) favorite 'pop' albums of the year, even though there's nothing 'pop' about it.
MPEG Stream: "Gloscien"
MPEG Stream: "Eishglinl"
MPEG Stream: "Suischre"
MPEG Stream: "Cleirglos"

LOW A Lifetime Of Temporary Relief (Chairkickers' Music) 3cd + 1dvd 44.00
Low fans are a mighty loyal lot, and this box set probably needs no introduction nor explanation for them. For those less devout, this is the slowcore royal family's highly anticipated ten year retrospective collection. Perhaps a bit daunting for a Low neophyte (psst, maybe start with Secret Name first)! However instead of releasing a 'greatest hits' or 'singles' type of thing, they've opted to reward their legions (who undoubtably own all their albums already and don't need to be told what the 'best' were!) with tons of obscure musical gems and visual delights. The fifty two rarities, demos and b-sides fill up three whole discs, and an additional dvd is packed with two documentaries and videos galore. One particular track on the third disc reminded us that Low have made some bizzare (but strangely appealing) cover choices over the years, like Journey's "Open Arms" (okay... granted they did it as a wedding gift for their friends, but still!). On the other hand, Disc 2 has their positively dreamy rendition of the George Harrison penned Beatles' song "Long Long Long". Gorgeous. And an absolute necessity for any Low fan.
MPEG Stream: "Venus"
MPEG Stream: "I Started A Joke"
MPEG Stream: "Long Long Long"

LOW California (Rough Trade) 7" 4.98
Sub Pop continues their string of cd-singles and EPs drawing from their artists' recent releases... er... well, sorta. Although Low is on Sub Pop here in the U.S., across the pond their Great Destroyer album was released on Rough Trade, and that's who put this single out. And actually the cd-single is much more of a European format anyways, isn't it? So is Rough Trade following Sub Pop's lead or vice versa? Ah, what am I babbling on about?! Just need to let you know that this Low disc contains the album version of "California", an alternate, very stripped-down gorgeous version of (the already gorgeous song) "Cue The Strings" and a video for their song "Death Of A Salesman" (not on the 7" version of course).
Although it's not really all that indicative of the band's body of work as a whole, for those of you who've yet to acquaint yourselves with the wonders of Low this is a nice little samplin' to start you off.
MPEG Stream: "Cue The Strings (Alternate Version)"

LOW California (Rough Trade) cd single 4.98
Sub Pop continues their string of cd-singles and EPs drawing from their artists' recent releases... er... well, sorta. Although Low is on Sub Pop here in the U.S., across the pond their Great Destroyer album was released on Rough Trade, and that's who put this single out. And actually the cd-single is much more of a European format anyways, isn't it? So is Rough Trade following Sub Pop's lead or vice versa? Ah, what am I babbling on about?! Just need to let you know that this Low disc contains the album version of "California", an alternate, very stripped-down gorgeous version of (the already gorgeous song) "Cue The Strings" and a video for their song "Death Of A Salesman" (not on the 7" version of course).
Although it's not really all that indicative of the band's body of work as a whole, for those of you who've yet to acquaint yourselves with the wonders of Low this is a nice little samplin' to start you off.
MPEG Stream: "Cue The Strings (Alternate Version)"

LOW Christmas (Chair Kicker's Union) cd 12.98
Although the first song on this Xmas ep will surprise fans as it is Low at their most upbeat(!), the rest of this ep is vintage Low -- languid songs heavy with atmosphere and tension. Very limited, so despite the fact that it's got "Little Drummer Boy" on it, we don't really expect this to be around at Christmastime.

LOW Curtain Hits the Cast (Vernon Yard Recordings) cd 14.98

LOW Dinosaur Act (Tugboat) 7" 5.50
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Two new tracks, not sure if these will be on the upcoming album. This is a shinier happier Low, and you have to wonder if, musically speaking, that's a good thing or not. Not a trace of sinister atmosphere. UK import, limited!

LOW Dinosaur Act (Tugboat) cdep 8.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Three new tracks (one more than on the 7" version), not sure if these will be on the upcoming album. This is a shinier happier Low, and you have to wonder if, musically speaking, that's a good thing or not. Not a trace of sinister atmosphere. UK import, limited!

LOW Drums And Guns (Sub Pop) cd 13.98
After Low's 2005 album The Great Destroyer surprised the heck out of us with a startling yet splendid shift in direction into more pop song structuring, we were all curious as to where they'd go next. Well, everyone's favorite slowcore band has drifted halfway back to their former selves. We're a little disappointed to find that there aren't any of the comparatively upbeat yet dark pop numbers that populated their last album. Drums And Guns definitely maintains a consistent somber pace, but they've brought in other new elements in the form of drum machines and sampled loops. It makes their music equally lulling and hypnotic via different channels. That said, some of the gritty dissonance of The Great Destroyer does still linger. Subject matter dips heavily into a dark undercurrent of menace and violence -- glints and glimpses of guns, hatchets, poison, murderers. Need we say? Recommended.
MPEG Stream: "Pretty People"
MPEG Stream: "Belarus"
MPEG Stream: "Take Your Time"

LOW Drums And Guns (Sub Pop) lp 14.98
After Low's 2005 album The Great Destroyer surprised the heck out of us with a startling yet splendid shift in direction into more pop song structuring, we were all curious as to where they'd go next. Well, everyone's favorite slowcore band has drifted halfway back to their former selves. We're a little disappointed to find that there aren't any of the comparatively upbeat yet dark pop numbers that populated their last album. Drums And Guns definitely maintains a consistent somber pace, but they've brought in other new elements in the form of drum machines and sampled loops. It makes their music equally lulling and hypnotic via different channels. That said, some of the gritty dissonance of The Great Destroyer does still linger. Subject matter dips heavily into a dark undercurrent of menace and violence -- glints and glimpses of guns, hatchets, poison, murderers. Need we say? Recommended.
MPEG Stream: "Pretty People"
MPEG Stream: "Belarus"
MPEG Stream: "Take Your Time"

LOW I Could Live In Hope (Vernon Yard Recordings) cd 14.98

LOW Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me (Chair Kicker's Music) cd ep 7.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
A few years back, Low played a Halloween show in Los Angeles in which they came out as the Misfits, complete with hyperbolic widow's peak, ghoulish corpse paint, and -- most shockingly -- a rather accurate performance of Misfits covers. While Low hasn't done anything with those Misfits songs since, they have cultivated an increasing repertoire of cover songs performed in their signature slow motion fashion. "Transmission" by Joy Division, "Jack Smith" by The Supreme Dicks, "Down By The River" by Neil Young, "I Started A Joke" by The BeeGees, "Lord, Can You Hear Me?" by Spacemen 3, that whole Christmas album, "Back Home Again" by John Denver, "Carnival Queen" by Jandek, and now "Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me". Until they compile all of these covers onto an album like Nick Cave's "Kicking Against The Pricks," you'll have to seek them out individually.
Low really does try to out-do Morrissey's melodrama on "Last Night..." with Alan gently singing along to a quiet guitar strum over ringing feedback and an ample dose of reverb, before the band explodes in a majestic crescendo of theatrical excess. Add an original from Low and a video of the single "Dinosaur Act" off their "Things Lost In The Fire" album, and you've got yourself one fine cd single.
RealAudio clip: "Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me"

LOW Long Division (Caroline) cd 14.98

LOW Low In Europe: A Film by Sebastian Schrade (Plexifilm) dvd 24.00
Not so much just a tour video, but a history of the band as well, which is surprisingly interesting and quite beautifully filmed. All the band members seem quite likable, and have interesting stuff to say about the joy of playing music, touring, the music industry, family (two band members are married and they travel with their young child). The live performances are lovely and intense. It's easy to think a band like Low would be mind numbingly boring live, but somehow it works. Reverent and hushed, the band barely move, but bathed in soft light, usually in a church, they really manage to transport the listener / viewer to some wholly other place. What's most remarkable perhaps is that all of the footage (most shot on digital video, some on super 8) manages to convey the same sort of vibe as the music: brooding, dark, slow, sparse, lugubrious, emotional, moody, almost as if the movie itself was just another Low song.

LOW Owl Remix (Vernon Yard) cd 15.98
Certainly an unlikely candidate for the seemingly ubiquitous remix, Low has received a few brilliant reworkings by likeminded slo-mo electronica superstars Porter Ricks, DJ Vadim, and Neotropic. Worth owning simply for the Porter Ricks cut which demonstrates that Andy and Thomas truly understand the slow motion minimalism of Low with this beautiful piece of delicately shifting electronics.

LOW Paris '99: Anthony, Are You Around? (P-Vine) cd 22.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
An album that remains one of my favorite recordings in the face of advancing technology and fancy pants studio wizardry is the Cowboy Junkies' first album "The Trinity Sessions." Recorded in an empty church directly into a stereo pair of microphones and onto tape, it's a testament to the possibilities of "live" recordings. I'd always thought that a band that deserved to be treated with this kind of engineering austerity is Low; their slow, sustained chords and harmonies can sure fill up a room beautifully as anyone who's managed to catch them live can attest to. Unfortunately "Paris '99", like the last live Low album, does not even come close to approaching the potential of Low in a live setting. Sadly, not only is the venue lacking the acoustic properties worthy of a live recording (some boxy bar in Paris), but the person recording the show was right in the middle of the room so that the enthusiastic audience is often louder than the band. Though the disc advertises "Licensed By Low" it seems hard to believe that this is a legit recording. I hope that somewhere down the line Low does authorise a live recording and chooses a decent venue, preferably empty, for its execution.
RealAudio clip: "Starfire"
RealAudio clip: "Lazy"

LOW Santa's Coming Over (Sub Pop) 7" 4.98
No stranger to crafting holiday tunes, Low's Christmas epfrom several years ago is still a big time favorite around here come wintertime. This new 7" finds Low singing about Santa Coming Over on the 'a' side while the flipside finds them getting as close to reggae as they probably ever will with "The Coming Of Jah." Beautifully and subtly packaged with white on white embossed lettering, and it comes with a coupon for free digital downloads of the tracks. A no-brainer as a stocking stuffer.

LOW Secret Name (Kranky) cd 14.98
The sixth studio album from Low is not so much a shift in songwriting but rather in production as they've employed the technical prowess of Steve Albini. By wholly avoiding the reverb drenched production that has carried over since Low's early albums recording with Kramer, Albini chooses a very sparse dry sound that exposes Mimi's and Alan's voices cracking against the beautifully languid orchestration of slow motion rock minimalism. Its end result is delicate, fragile, and gorgeous. This may very well be their best album to date!

LOW Secret Name (Kranky) 2lp 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
The sixth studio album from Low is not so much a shift in song writing but rather in production as they've employed the technical prowess of Steve Albini. By wholly avoiding the reverb drenched production that has carried over since Low's early albums recording with Kramer, Albini chooses a very sparse dry sound that exposes Mimi's and Alan's voices cracking against the beautifully languid orchestration of slow motion rock minimalism. Its end result is delicate, fragile, and gorgeous. This may very well be their best album to date!

LOW Songs For A Dead Pilot (Kranky) cd 11.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Low's first outing on Kranky is even more sparse than their Vernon Yard recordings...the gaping spaces in between the desolate notes create an ominous (at times...) atmosphere.

LOW Songs For A Dead Pilot (Kranky) lp 12.98
Low's first outing on Kranky is even more sparse than their Vernon Yard recordings...the gaping spaces in between the desolate notes create an ominous (at times...) atmosphere.

LOW Songs for a Dead Pilot (Kranky) lp 11.98

LOW The Great Destroyer (Sub Pop) cd 13.98
Holy smokes, talk about potent reactions! We can hear the roar of dismay from Low fans miles away in response to this new album, but hang on a second folks, don't push it aside so swiftly, give it another listen... and another! Yes, The Great Destroyer does mark a change in direction (perhaps most noticeably in tempo and the presence of crunchier guitar dissonance) for the band. The first two songs, the synth and guitar laden "Monkey" and the great poppy "California" make that perfectly clear. What this album does is confirm what we already know, that is, just what great songcraftsmiths Alan Sparhawk, Mimi Parker and Zak Sally are. However, it also makes us realize and appreciate that they really could be doing any style they choose (and doing it exceedingly well), but because they've stuck to the slowcore for so many years and so many albums, they've in a sense produced a recognizable 'product' called Low that fans know and love... and do not want to change. So it's not surprising that after twelve years and six albums, a change in Low would draw some passionate (or maybe even irate) response from fans. For those folks, we'll just say cherish your Secret Name and Long Division, but maybe find a place in your heart for The Great Destroyer too.
A tip of the hat to the band for following their artistic muse and throwing a challenging curve ball rather than simply making more of what they themselves know they can already do, and more of what they surely know their fans want. No, this album doesn't offer their trademark blanket of hushed, lulling glacialness, but the heartaching lyrical impact and stunning arrangements are still more than present. Really, it's no exaggeration to say that some of these songs will floor you! The Great Destroyer is an emotionally expansive, deeply moving and fully rewarding album. It was co-produced with David Fridmann who also after years of unmistakable grand blown-out productions (Flaming Lips, Sparklehorse, Delgados) makes some changes to his approach, showing surprising restraint particularly on songs such as the more familiar 'old-Low' sounding songs "Silver Rider" and "Death Of A Salesman". Beautiful! Highly recommended... 'nuf said.
MPEG Stream: "California"
MPEG Stream: "Silver Rider"

LOW The Great Destroyer (Sub Pop) lp 12.98
Holy smokes, talk about potent reactions! We can hear the roar of dismay from Low fans miles away in response to this new album, but hang on a second folks, don't push it aside so swiftly, give it another listen... and another! Yes, The Great Destroyer does mark a change in direction (perhaps most noticeably in tempo and the presence of crunchier guitar dissonance) for the band. The first two songs, the synth and guitar laden "Monkey" and the great poppy "California" make that perfectly clear. What this album does is confirm what we already know, that is, just what great songcraftsmiths Alan Sparhawk, Mimi Parker and Zak Sally are. However, it also makes us realize and appreciate that they really could be doing any style they choose (and doing it exceedingly well), but because they've stuck to the slowcore for so many years and so many albums, they've in a sense produced a recognizable 'product' called Low that fans know and love... and do not want to change. So it's not surprising that after twelve years and six albums, a change in Low would draw some passionate (or maybe even irate) response from fans. For those folks, we'll just say cherish your Secret Name and Long Division, but maybe find a place in your heart for The Great Destroyer too.
A tip of the hat to the band for following their artistic muse and throwing a challenging curve ball rather than simply making more of what they themselves know they can already do, and more of what they surely know their fans want. No, this album doesn't offer their trademark blanket of hushed, lulling glacialness, but the heartaching lyrical impact and stunning arrangements are still more than present. Really, it's no exaggeration to say that some of these songs will floor you! The Great Destroyer is an emotionally expansive, deeply moving and fully rewarding album. It was co-produced with David Fridmann who also after years of unmistakable grand blown-out productions (Flaming Lips, Sparklehorse, Delgados) makes some changes to his approach, showing surprising restraint particularly on songs such as the more familiar 'old-Low' sounding songs "Silver Rider" and "Death Of A Salesman". Beautiful! Highly recommended... 'nuf said.
MPEG Stream: "California"
MPEG Stream: "Silver Rider"

LOW Things We Lost in the Fire (Kranky) cd 14.98
Finally, a new full length from Low! Yet again Steve Albini is at the controls, though it seems he has loosened his production reigns a bit since Secret Name -- having wetted up the mix a bit more with the reverb that Low appreciates so. On top of that, Low continues to push their self-established, simmeringly-quiet barebones envelope by actually filling out their sound with mellotron, violins, piano, etc. But at the heart of it all, it's still the same lovely, patient Low songwriting we love. "Laser Beam" is the highlight of the album, wherein Mimi sings so purely. There's a bit of disagreement here at AQ whether these continued experiments and the new songs are more or less successful than Secret Name, so we can't give it an assertive "yay" or "nay". The jury is still out on this one.
LP has two extra non-cd tracks.
RealAudio clip: "Sunflower"
RealAudio clip: "Laser Beam"