Combining ethereal vocals, courtesy of Mimi Parker, and the patient guitar work of her husband Alan Sparhawak, Low, like their name, became leaders of the 90’s slow-core movement. If you never heard of them, they probably didn’t care, but critics and contemporaries seemed to notice; luminaries Radiohead even picked Low to open a run of their shows in 2003. With their Sub Pop debut, The Great Destroyer, Low enlists the services of David Fridmann (Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev) to give them a kick in the realm of an aggressive guitar rock record.
Low combines the heartland moans of The Cowboy Junkies with the recent rambunctious charm of The Arcade Fire on The Great Destroyer. The opener, "Monkey," utilizes Fridmann’s lore of heavy drum sound, as tribal percussion beats light up the album’s entry. "California," the band’s sunniest "hit" to date, comes off as a Meat Puppets single, but despite it’s catchy hooks, is darker than most bands still dare to go in the area of "pop." Sparhawk lays down a biting guitar tone that jerks in the agitated heartfelt shrill of Neil Young style ("On The Edge Of") with a jagged, yet sensitive J Mascis feel ("Everybody’s Son"). "Silver Ride" summons celestial folk, which sounds like a slow crawling movement of The Byrd’s "Eight Miles High." Meanwhile, the up-tempo beat of "Step" has almost an ounce of, dare I say, "danceability." And just when you thought you heard all the hooks in "California," the band plays with more smart pop in "Just Stand Back" and "Walk into the Sea."
Low didn't set out to make a pop record, but compared to their past efforts, this shinier curve might slight hardy fans. However, after ten years it's only fair that Low let us in on their secret and The Great Destroyer serves as a welcoming invitation.
