Low -- The Great Destroyer

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Damn, this is good. As mentioned on the "leaked albums" thread yesterday, it's not a big departure from earlier material (as if you were expecting one from Low after 10+ years). It's bit noisier, and it doesn't carry the gravitas and menace that was prominent on the last album with tracks such as "The Lamb" and "John Prine". However, it's got some spectacular rave-ups (well, as raved-up as Low get), a la "Lullaby" or "Canada" plus their usual moments of beauty and clarity via girl/boy harmonies.

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 3 November 2004 18:42 (twenty years ago)

And it's a great soundtrack for the post-election afternoon.

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 3 November 2004 18:43 (twenty years ago)

Mmm, very nice. Looking forward to this very much.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 3 November 2004 18:44 (twenty years ago)

oh so am i!

― jed_ (jed), Wednesday, 3 November 2004 18:46 (twenty years ago)

me three!

i actually couldn't bare to watch the election coverage this AM, so I watched the video for "Over the Ocean" from the boxset DVD a few times whilst eating breakfast....Low is very much indicative of my mood right now.

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 3 November 2004 19:19 (twenty years ago)

"death of a salesman" is the best song alan has ever written

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Wednesday, 3 November 2004 19:28 (twenty years ago)

You think so? I thought that song was kind of bleh, but maybe my ears hadn't readjusted from the thunderous tunes that precede it on the album.

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 3 November 2004 19:36 (twenty years ago)

When does it come out? For us non-dowloadee's.

― jel -- (jel), Wednesday, 3 November 2004 19:40 (twenty years ago)

press release says january 25.

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Wednesday, 3 November 2004 19:45 (twenty years ago)

But dudes, Low are Republicans!

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Wednesday, 3 November 2004 21:27 (twenty years ago)

And MORMONS TOO ohmigod I can't speak to them.

(They crashed on my floor once and are extremely kind and friendly folks.)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 3 November 2004 21:33 (twenty years ago)

(I've met them too, and I too have found them super nice people. A friend of mine who toured with them told me "just don't talk politics with them, and everything's delightful.")

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Wednesday, 3 November 2004 21:38 (twenty years ago)

*licks lips*

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Wednesday, 3 November 2004 23:37 (twenty years ago)

this is *amazing*. i'm sure i've said before on ilm that i've only got into the last 3 or 4 albums when the next one's come out, giving me some kind of filter to view the older one through, but this has got me straight away. maybe it's because of the election, maybe because of my personal life right now, but it just sounds fantastic - like they've finally delivered on the album they've been threatening since "dinosaur act".

― toby (tsg20), Wednesday, 3 November 2004 23:43 (twenty years ago)

i find it odd to hear that low have been "threatening" a certain type/quality of album...

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Wednesday, 3 November 2004 23:45 (twenty years ago)

but of course that's just my perspective on low (so sorry if i sounded snippy, toby). they always seem like the kind of group that knocks out something reliably lovely every couple of years - slow evolution, but never disappointing, etc

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Wednesday, 3 November 2004 23:47 (twenty years ago)

i agree with you totally.

― jed_ (jed), Wednesday, 3 November 2004 23:48 (twenty years ago)

like they've finally delivered on the album they've been threatening since "dinosaur act"

Yes, it's almost like "Trust" never happened ... they underwent a glacial evolution for a while, then came "Things We Lost In the Fire" (threatening with songs like "Dino Act" and "In Metal"), and the new album feels like the next logical step from those sorts of songs.

I think their most drastic change in approach was the transition from "Fire" to "Trust", but now the latter has been put out to pasture (for now).

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 4 November 2004 04:00 (twenty years ago)

i'm excited about hearing this record, which is rare for me and a band that i've had such a long history with. "trust" was not necessarily my favourite Low record but it had a couple of my top 5 Low songs on it..

― the surface noise (slight return) (electricsound), Thursday, 4 November 2004 04:13 (twenty years ago)

point taken, kilian - "threatening" was definitely a badly-chosen word. i'm really looking forward to hearing this record on headphones in the early evening.

― toby (tsg20), Thursday, 4 November 2004 06:57 (twenty years ago)

oh god I hate Dinosaur Act. I hope the album is better than that!

― kyle (akmonday), Thursday, 4 November 2004 08:41 (twenty years ago)

ha, yes "Dinosaur act" is just about my least favourite Low song and "(that's how we sing) Amazing Grace" off of Trust is perhaps my favourite.... sometimes it is.

― jed_ (jed), Thursday, 4 November 2004 13:25 (twenty years ago)

_the great destroyer_ is a great title.

― Marco Damiani (Marco D.), Thursday, 4 November 2004 16:17 (twenty years ago)

"amazing grace" off Trust is in fact amazing.

so, halfway through this record, and I really wish I could share everyone else's enthusiams, but, er, ah. um. meh.

― kyle (akmonday), Thursday, 4 November 2004 16:31 (twenty years ago)

and I should say that I fucking LOVE Low and the albums up through Curtain are really important to me. So maybe I love them too much to like this album very much.

― kyle (akmonday), Thursday, 4 November 2004 16:32 (twenty years ago)

'secret name' reprazent!

― cºzen (Cozen), Thursday, 4 November 2004 16:32 (twenty years ago)

kyle i only like about three songs on here but really really really love "death of a salesman"

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Thursday, 4 November 2004 16:36 (twenty years ago)

Does anyone know who is releasing this in the UK? Rough Trade?

"trust" was not necessarily my favourite Low record but it had a couple of my top 5 Low songs on it.

Yep yep yep.

― DJ Mencap0))), Thursday, 4 November 2004 16:38 (twenty years ago)

Damn, I have to wait until January? BUM OUT MAJOR. But it will be worth it, I guess. I just hope there's something left to discuss when I finally do hear it. Ya'll will be bored with it already. Can't download unless the internet begins working in my home again, which it may or may not.. it's very spotty, but this has been the longest outage yet.

― Ian John50n (orion), Thursday, 4 November 2004 17:54 (twenty years ago)

Cozen OTM, Secret Name is their best work. Trust was pretty weak.

― jel -- (jel), Thursday, 4 November 2004 20:35 (twenty years ago)

ian i got your copy right here.

― ALLMUSIC.COM (ddb), Thursday, 4 November 2004 21:37 (twenty years ago)

Trust was pretty weak.

Crazy talk!!!!

"(that's how we sing) Amazing Grace" off of Trust is perhaps my favourite

Now that's more like it.

― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Thursday, 4 November 2004 22:15 (twenty years ago)

Okay, "Pissing" is a pretty good song. I like the organ in the background, gives it kind of a weird psychedelic 60's feel

― kyle (akmonday), Thursday, 4 November 2004 22:38 (twenty years ago)

Is it as gd as The Great Annihilator (a better title, I think) by Swans?

― Michael's Hands, Thursday, 4 November 2004 22:39 (twenty years ago)

God no

― kyle (akmonday), Thursday, 4 November 2004 22:59 (twenty years ago)

MIW, you gotsa hook me up yo

― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Thursday, 4 November 2004 23:36 (twenty years ago)

Secret Name is my fav as well....but the hate for Dinosaur Act just plain confuses me...i love that song. what don't you guys like about it...such a great riff!

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Thursday, 4 November 2004 23:38 (twenty years ago)

i think the lyrics are naff but the riff is cool

― the surface noise (slight return) (electricsound), Thursday, 4 November 2004 23:39 (twenty years ago)

low were big supporters of Paul Wellstone.

― settin it strait, Thursday, 4 November 2004 23:56 (twenty years ago)

To really set it straight, you have to say that there are three of them, they're all individuals, they don't all agree on politics, and I shouldn't have even brought it up.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Friday, 5 November 2004 00:02 (twenty years ago)

Interesting that Low, of all bands, should make two albums in a row with two of the most distinctive, hands-on producers working today (Tchad Blake, Dave Fridmann). I like the new album a lot, though that Fridmann magic makes it too weird to listen to in the car.

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Friday, 5 November 2004 03:35 (twenty years ago)

Sort of an obvious one, but what if Martin Hannett had stayed alive and Low had ended up working with him?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 5 November 2004 03:41 (twenty years ago)

really looking fwd to hearing this one.

josh, is fridmann's touch that distinctive?

― big baby jesus., Friday, 5 November 2004 04:06 (twenty years ago)

Sort of an obvious one, but what if Martin Hannett had stayed alive and Low had ended up working with him?
*faints*

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Friday, 5 November 2004 04:07 (twenty years ago)

did martin hannett ever record anyone who was actually able to sing?

― the surface noise (slight return) (electricsound), Friday, 5 November 2004 04:11 (twenty years ago)

silver rider and on the edge of is pretty good. some of it is dissapointingly meh rock-ishness. but i haven't listened to the whole thing yet.

― La Monte (La Monte), Monday, 8 November 2004 22:48 (twenty years ago)

he hate for Dinosaur Act just plain confuses me...i love that song. what don't you guys like about it..

it is whiney and awful

I decided this album is okay. I don't like that Salesman song though or the other song that says something about "rocking". BAH.

― kyle (akmonday), Monday, 8 November 2004 23:07 (twenty years ago)

Trust was pretty weak.
Crazy talk!!!!

Agreed. The run from 'In The Drugs' through 'John Prine' and 'Last Snowstorm' to 'Little Argument' is possibly the strongest section on any Low record.

I've only heard the first half of the Great Destroyer so far and I was most impressed with 'Monkey' and 'Silver Rider' but 'Everybody's Song' was a bit meh on a first hearing.
I really need to give it a good listen.

Low are playing London in a couple of weeks and, like most bands I want to see this year, completely ignoring Scotland :(

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Tuesday, 9 November 2004 20:42 (twenty years ago)

Listened to it a few times over the past couple of days and... hmm...

The first time I heard 'Monkey' I didn't care much for it - now it's probably one of my favourites. Not because it's all that good, but more because the rest of the album is pretty disappointing.

standouts: 'Monkey', 'Silver Rider', 'Step', 'Death Of A Salesman', 'Pissing'
wants to be the Gin Blossoms: 'California'
wants to be REM: 'Everybody's Song'
wants to be the Beatles: everything else

Maybe it'll grow on me, who can say.

Has anyone else picked up on the feeling through Alan's lyrics that it's all about to end? Two obvious songs about giving up music ('Death Of A Salesman', 'When I Go Deaf') and a handful of other quite strong hints elsewhere (such as "sometimes your voice is not enough").

Low are doing a full tour to support The Great Destroyer once it's actually released, they might go to Scotland then.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Thursday, 11 November 2004 07:59 (twenty years ago)

one month passes...

christ, 'California' DOES sound like the Gin Blossoms. That's ok, I like the Gin Blossoms, and I like the album so far, but that's a funny observation.

― derrick (derrick), Tuesday, 4 January 2005 18:03 (twenty years ago)

Skipping 168 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

Okay--now I love it. It doesn't sound compressed, but I'm guessing we're hearing a great deal of tape saturation.

Alan doesn't get nearly enough props for his guitar playing.

― Ian in Brooklyn, Wednesday, 6 April 2005 03:14 (twenty years ago)

It's OK, sure. But is anyone else disappointed with Trust and TGD, even if ever-so-slightly, after The Things We Lost in the Fire. I mean, what a f**ng great album..

― Yngwie AlmsteenMay (sgertz), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 03:47 (twenty years ago)

In respects, I think I've always been (happily) bliss-damaged by the debut, seeing as I was lucky enough to catch them right before that came out etc. So for me this is actually the Great Shift after everything else, and quite possibly is actually now my second favorite by them overall.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 03:48 (twenty years ago)

Ned, did you see them open for Luna on the Bewitched tour? I'm not sure if that was before or after their debut was released.

― Yngwie AlmsteenMay (sgertz), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 03:53 (twenty years ago)

Might have been after -- my first time seeing them was a small KUCI benefit show at the very end of 1993, a month before the album came out. Right from the first song I thought, "Holy fuck, these guys are great and I'm not going to forget 'em."

Somewhere out there, beneath the pale moonlight is the tape I have of them performing on my KUCI show six months later. Including what I believe was the first-ever recorded (by default) version of "Transmission" they did.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 03:56 (twenty years ago)

i haven't spent enough time with this one but i certainly wasn't disappointed by Trust - probably my favourite album of theirs since Long Division. i think their lowest point is Songs For A Dead Pilot and they've been steadily building up ground again since then..

― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 03:56 (twenty years ago)

I see myself in the future being more likely to dig this record out than any of the other Low records. I still love the first three records a lot but I always felt like I had to be in the mood to sit and listen to them. I don't feel that way with The Great Destroyer at all.

I've been listening to "On The Edge Of" 4 or 5 times a day..

― Johnny Badlees (crispssssss), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 03:57 (twenty years ago)

Also, I really love the stark minimalism of their early records. I remember seeing them in Detroit shortly after The Curtain Hits the Cast came out. Everyone sat on the floor. It remains one of the most eerily gorgeous shows I've ever seen. On record, though, I think they have benefitted more from Albini's production than either Friddman or Kramer.
As the anti-producer's producer, it seems that Albini actually added more to Low's sound than had been done previously, which is kind of ironic. There is a sensitive balance, though, and I think Friddman took it a bit too far (with the synths and everything) Although I do like TGD, I can't help but wish that Friddman had been thinking more Come On Die Young, and less The Great Eastern.

― Yngwie AlmsteenMay (sgertz), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 04:03 (twenty years ago)

i like kramer's production best of everyone they've worked with, but i'm kinda glad they didn't do more than they did with him.

― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 04:05 (twenty years ago)

I'm still baffled as to why more people (other than me) don't think "Broadway" is one of the top five songs they've ever done. Particularly because of all the love for the debut -- "Broadway" is like "Lullaby", except 10X more cathartic.

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 04:23 (twenty years ago)

Is their new album out yet? I heard they rock it, and even have, like, a kick drum and stuff.

― Jordan (Jordan), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 04:30 (twenty years ago)

"On the Edge Of" is the definite standout. Most of the rest doesn't seem up to par with 'Secret Name,' 'Things We Lost in the Fire,' 'Trust,' even the 'Fishtank' EP. I prefer the original version of "Silver Rider".

Then again, I didn't understand the disappointment with 'Trust' or the disporportionate acclaim for 'Things We Lost'. I like them both equally, and both less than 'Secret Name'.

Still, a great band and I look forward to what they'll do next.

― I.M. (I.M.), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 04:44 (twenty years ago)

Their porn rock take on the Meatmen's "Toolin' for Anus," surely.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 04:52 (twenty years ago)

I love "Broadway" too for sure. The "where is the laughter" part seems like the old Low sound snuck in through the back door of one of the Low's poppiest moments. And I love how the vocals are so drenched in that part too..

― Johnny Badlees (crispssssss), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 05:41 (twenty years ago)

BTW, (IM) I think Secret Name = Things We Lost In The Fire. Goddam brilliance, the both of them!

― Yngwie AlmsteenMay (sgertz), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 06:57 (twenty years ago)

Actually, Ned, that's "Tooling For Anus." Not to be square or anything.

― Yngwie AlmsteenMay (sgertz), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 07:00 (twenty years ago)

Again, Ned, If you ever find Low's recording of that fine song, I'm sure I'm not the only one who would be glad to hear of it.

― Yngwie AlmsteenMay (sgertz), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 07:11 (twenty years ago)

fuck but this really is fantastic, isn't it? it's now my favourite low album, and my favourite album of 2005.

also worth hearing is the acoustic version of "walk into the sea", which is on a cd with the current cwas (or on slsk, obv). not as good as the original, but interesting.

― toby (tsg20), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 14:46 (twenty years ago)

I have a live acoustic version from a 2004 gig. It's sparse, even for Low, and slower than the album version. I prefer electric as well. Had they used the acoustic version on the album then it never could have been the closer because it would have homogenized itself with the track before it, "Death of a Salesman".

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 15:04 (twenty years ago)

I love "On The Edge Of" so much. Its a perfect recording. I love the guitar part. I love that huge drum sound. And being Low of course its got some great vocal melodies and harmonies and they've gottem reverbed out just perfect. Every now and then there's a new song that blows my mind and I just have to listen to it 6 or 7 times a day and this is the latest one for me.

― Johnny Badlees (crispssssss), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 23:09 (twenty years ago)

three weeks pass...

Very courageous message concerning the cancellation of their May and June shows, by the way:

http://www.chairkickers.com/toast/toast.asp?sub=show&action=posts&fid=4&tid=285

― StanM, Monday, 9 May 2005 07:17 (twenty years ago)

one month passes...

I finally listened to the album, and I agree it might be their finest hour...

― donut e-g (donut), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 05:51 (twenty years ago)

four months pass...

So after getting this when it came out and never being able to get in to it (it just seemed flat and uninteresting and yes I do like Low), I put it on two days ago to give it another try. And I was very wrong. What a wonderful album. I could still do without "Monkey" and "Broadway(So Many People)" as they just don't grab me, but the rest is both perfectly jarring and gorgeous. I agree with Johnny Badlees that "On the Edge Of" is an exceptional moment. It was a pleasant revisit for sure and I'll be listening to it for a while longer. I knew I "should" like it, I just didn't at the beginning of the year perhaps it just needed distance from my extremely high expectations.

― matt2 (matt2), Friday, 18 November 2005 18:47 (nineteen years ago)

It's going in the Pazz/Jop vote for me. And as a farewell to the Zak era, however unintentional, it's all the more great.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 18 November 2005 18:50 (nineteen years ago)

the first part of broadway is probably the worst low song, but the pretty psych rave up at the end kinda saves it for me...

this is a really good album....wonder if there will ever be another?

saw Alan's new band, Retribution Gospel Choir....very great....sort of the logical extension of Great Destroyer, but way more active drumming and bass, and a huge section in the middle of the set that was almost a raga rock exploration bit...had this wierd spinning light rig, kinda trippy....alan's a great great noisy guitar player....I hope RGC does an album....

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Friday, 18 November 2005 19:41 (nineteen years ago)

one month passes...

This album is great, why isn't in any of the end of year lists I've seen? It'a shame. It should sell a zillion copies. To everyone.

― Debord (Debord), Thursday, 22 December 2005 15:21 (nineteen years ago)

because the mastering makes it almost unlistenable. songs are good though

― kyle (akmonday), Thursday, 22 December 2005 15:22 (nineteen years ago)

This album is great, why isn't in any of the end of year lists I've seen?

Because you haven't seen mine yet.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 22 December 2005 15:24 (nineteen years ago)

Yep – their best. "Monkey" almost made my year-end singles list, alas.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Thursday, 22 December 2005 15:26 (nineteen years ago)

Not mentioned much because it came out in January and was widely leaked beforehand (this thread started Nov '04!!). Everyone save Ned forgot about it (including me, altho' I have recently put it in my re-listen pile for the Xmas break).

― zebedee (zebedee), Thursday, 22 December 2005 16:13 (nineteen years ago)

because the mastering makes it almost unlistenable. songs are good though

The mastering is really incredibly poor, such a shame. I heard the leaked version and hoped it'd been recorded from slightly distorted radio or something. But tha album is a grower.

'Secret Name' remains my favourite, but they're just pretty great all around.

― I.M. (I.M.), Thursday, 22 December 2005 18:05 (nineteen years ago)

i've got no problem with the sound of this one.

― gear (gear), Thursday, 22 December 2005 18:11 (nineteen years ago)

low christmas video--it will tear you up if you're me.

― dan (dan), Thursday, 22 December 2005 19:04 (nineteen years ago)

i've got no problem with the sound of this one

try making mp3s out of it and see how they sound. I'm wondering now if this is some bizarre attempt at copy restriction. Ihaven't heard the last Go Betweens album but I heard the complaints about it and they were the same.

― kyle (akmonday), Thursday, 22 December 2005 19:09 (nineteen years ago)

three months pass...

is it really true that this sounds different on mp3 to cd?! i've only ever listened to it on an ipod, i guess - maybe i should dig out the cd sometime and try that, if it sounds so different. although i love the way it sounds already, anyway.

― toby (tsg20), Thursday, 13 April 2006 12:18 (nineteen years ago)

I can't speak for MP3 specifically, but AAC encoding doesn't appear to make a difference, and from a technical point of view I don't see how you could screw an MP3 but not an AAC.

― steal compass, drive north, disappear (tissp), Thursday, 13 April 2006 12:33 (nineteen years ago)

four years pass...

silver rider and on the edge of is pretty good. some of it is dissapointingly meh rock-ishness. but i haven't listened to the whole thing yet.
― La Monte (La Monte), Monday, November 8, 2004 6:48 PM (5 years ago) Bookmark

so wrong back then. this record is brutal and gorgeous. i love it.

― LaMonte, Wednesday, 16 June 2010 02:03 (fifteen years ago)

Yes

― Lostandfound, Wednesday, 16 June 2010 06:09 (fifteen years ago)

This is absolutely one of my favourite records of all time, it seems so strange to read through this thread and see disappointed reactions - then again, this record was the first I heard of Low so maybe I approached it in a completely different way.

― boxedjoy, Wednesday, 16 June 2010 10:59 (fifteen years ago)

Still their best album by far.

― NoTimeBeforeTime, Wednesday, 16 June 2010 16:48 (fifteen years ago)

Great album. Not really comparable as "better" or "worse" than their previous stuff, it's such a different beast altogether.

― ilxor has truly been got at and become an ILXor (ilxor), Wednesday, 16 June 2010 19:59 (fifteen years ago)

three years pass...

somewhere, in some alternate universe, monkey holds the no. 1 spot on the billboard rock charts for weeks and weeks.

― Daniel, Esq 2, Saturday, 26 April 2014 02:02 (eleven years ago)

Next month I'm seeing them in a small barn :)

― festival culture (Jordan), Saturday, 26 April 2014 02:46 (eleven years ago)

Such a great record. Some days Silver Rider is my POO. When are we polling their catalog? That's going to be insane.

― that's not my post, Saturday, 26 April 2014 05:00 (eleven years ago)

Please don't

― StanM, Saturday, 26 April 2014 09:26 (eleven years ago)

If we polled Low the thread would be constantly interrupted by people shushing.

― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 26 April 2014 14:51 (eleven years ago)

two years pass...

Oddly, there's a poster of this album cover on the set of 'Grey's Anatomy'.

― Spencer Chow, Saturday, 19 November 2016 01:16 (eight years ago)

http://i.imgur.com/3AhNehh.jpg

― Spencer Chow, Sunday, 20 November 2016 17:14 (eight years ago)

six years pass...

Good album imo

― hat trick of trashiness (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 16 October 2023 22:07 (one year ago)

depending on the day, this or Trust is my favourite of theirs

― Murgatroid, Monday, 16 October 2023 23:43 (one year ago)

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