Low Use Church Walls And Hushed Duets To Melt Hearts On “C’Mon”

Low‘s previous record, 2007′s Drums And Guns, was just another exercise in the heartbreakingly slow sounds the Minnesotan duo have long ago called their own. With their new release, C’mon, Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker (with bassist Steve Garrington) do things a bit differently: they raise the volume. Distortion swells, drums reverberate off stained glass windows (C’mon was recorded in a former Catholic Church), and soul-searching harmonies mysteriously lose none of their emotional impact as they gain the quality Low has historically lacked: accessibility.

Like the bleak step-child of Fleet Floxes, Low interpret americana as an inherently desolate sound. Space and melody triumph rhythm on C’Mon, as the latter commands a growing tension that gathers and unfurls throughout the ten track length. The record is an exercise in ebb and flow: hushed duets float across sustained guitars until arrangements swell into quasi-apocalyptic anthems, breaking into a contemplative finale that offers breathing space to soak in the sonic journey of the song now ended. ‘Especially Me’ and ‘Majesty/Magic’ make good use of this typically post-rock structure, but, unlike others who fall under that genre tag, Low never sticks to that format. ‘Nightingale’ and ‘Witches’ are honest rock songs (of the slow variety; don’t get too excited) with strong verses and stronger hooks; ‘Something’s Turning Over’ sends C’Mon back to the late ’60′s with a children’s choir and a chorus of “la la’s” that recall The Zombies sophisticated hippie pop. Expect the unexpected with Low‘s new LP, except for epic, emotive songs that tug on your heartstrings and get stuck in your head. You can expect that.