What is the best Low album/release?

Message Bookmarked
Bookmark Removed

Basically I'm doing the poll because Low is (the band I'm most likely to cite as) my #1 favorite band and I'm curious about the ILM consensus on their best album/release is going to be, though I have my suspicions. I've obviously included all the full-length albums, plus the EPs, live albums and various releases that I think are significant enough to be considered a favorite. No singles, no remix albums/EPs and no 3-disc b-sides/rarities box sets, though. So please vote for whichever you think is best, or whichever is your personal favorite. It's up to you.

Poll Results

OptionVotes
The Curtain Hits the Cast (Vernon Yard, 1996) http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov75/drc900/c945/c94557rc7rs.j13
Things We Lost in the Fire (Kranky, 2001) http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov75/dre400/e495/e49507o5nrs.jpg13
Trust (Kranky, 2002) http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov75/drf400/f476/f47678o6mny.jpg5
Christmas [EP] (Kranky, 1999) http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov75/drd900/d988/d988885cni1.jpg4
The Great Destroyer (Sub Pop, 2005) http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov75/drg600/g631/g63110d6pwk.jpg4
Secret Name (Kranky, 1999) http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov75/drd500/d539/d53922n15a1.jpg2
Drums and Guns (Sub Pop, 2007) http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov75/dri400/i445/i44596tjqej.jpg2
Long Division (Vernon Yard, 1995) http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov75/drf600/f621/f62191e1pvt.jpg2
I Could Live in Hope (Vernon Yard, 1994) http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov75/drf400/f450/f45052qr20u.jpg2
Songs for a Dead Pilot [EP] (Kranky, 1997) http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov75/drd300/d390/d39011nwb77.jpg0
Transmission [EP] (Vernon Yard, 1996) http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov75/drc800/c870/c87064u7pl4.jpg0
One More Reason to Forget [LIVE] (Bluesanct, 2000) http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov75/dre000/e091/e09140ur0
Paris '99: "Anthony, Are You Around?" [LIVE] (P-Vine, 2001) http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov75/d0
Finally... [EP] (Vernon Yard, 1996) 0
Low [EP] (Summershine, 1994) 0


stephen, Saturday, 22 December 2007 21:41 (eighteen years ago)

And these are in rough chronological order, though I may have misplaced an EP or two.

stephen, Saturday, 22 December 2007 21:44 (eighteen years ago)

I'm tempted to opt for Christmas given the time of year (and it is really, really good), but I think Things We Lost In the Fire is the most outstanding of this practically flawless series of albums.

Pillbox, Saturday, 22 December 2007 21:48 (eighteen years ago)

I refuse to choose because I can't.

StanM, Saturday, 22 December 2007 22:02 (eighteen years ago)

Nailed it with Fire

Whiney G. Weingarten, Saturday, 22 December 2007 22:05 (eighteen years ago)

Though a greatest hits album would trump all.

Whiney G. Weingarten, Saturday, 22 December 2007 22:05 (eighteen years ago)

yknow, i voted "curtain" because it contains my favorite Low song ever on it. and is just...god.damn.amazing.

the table is the table, Saturday, 22 December 2007 23:20 (eighteen years ago)

okay, i've got a few days to think about this. which is good.

i can say with confidence that my choice won't be "destroyer" or "fire". or any of the pre-96 stuff.

[thinks harder]

it will be between "secret name", "anthony", "trust" and -- HERESY? -- "drums and guns".

grimly fiendish, Saturday, 22 December 2007 23:35 (eighteen years ago)

it contains my favorite Low song ever on it

"the plan"?

grimly fiendish, Saturday, 22 December 2007 23:35 (eighteen years ago)

The Curtain Hits the Cast

Herman G. Neuname, Saturday, 22 December 2007 23:40 (eighteen years ago)

(and, just to complete this little triptych of little posts: "things we lost in the fire" is a fucking wonderful album. it's just it's not, for some reason, quite as emotionally resonant for me. i have a feeling it will win this poll. "the great destroyer" never quite worked for me -- i think it's the weakest of the bunch, although "weakest" in this context is still "borderline godlike" in any sane universe ... and "pissing" is right up there in my all-time low top five.)

xpost

grimly fiendish, Saturday, 22 December 2007 23:41 (eighteen years ago)

It's interesting to compare the production values of the various stages of their discography, given that the list of producers/technicians they've worked with reads like an indie band's fantasy wish list (Kramer, Fisk, Albini, Fridmann) and that the latter two are notorious for imprinting their own trademark sounds/styles on the records they're involved with.

While the Friddman albums sound like Friddman albums (which is not a bad thing, unless you happen to be The Delgados), it's curious that Albini actually worked against type and helped/encouraged them to expand their sound on Secret Name and ..Fire - this has to be the only instance of Albini adding to, rather than subtracting from. Whatever the case, it worked. While Low's songwriting has always been consistently excellent, I think those two records definitely sound the best.

Pillbox, Saturday, 22 December 2007 23:45 (eighteen years ago)

this has to be the only instance of Albini adding to, rather than subtracting from

"seamonsters", surely?!

grimly fiendish, Saturday, 22 December 2007 23:48 (eighteen years ago)

Heresy? Drums and guns is definitively up there with the other contenders.

StanM, Saturday, 22 December 2007 23:51 (eighteen years ago)

"seamonsters", surely?!

Arguably. But, compared to Bizarro, it seems Albini just did the loud/quiet volume thing, pushed the drums to the fore & bought them a distortion pedal. Great album, though. One of the best, probably.

Pillbox, Saturday, 22 December 2007 23:54 (eighteen years ago)

Whereas with the Low albums he added, you know, like strings and stuff.

Pillbox, Saturday, 22 December 2007 23:56 (eighteen years ago)

ach, maybe you're right about seamonsters -- but it still SOUNDS like he summoned the elemental force of a thousand gedges (and a million simon smiths).

and stan, yes, i knew you'd agree ... i just seem to remember the ILM consensus being "WHAT'S WITH THIS FUNNY MIX? OH NOES I AM DEAF IN ONE EAR, OR SOMETHING", which was just, y'know, wrong. then again: i seem to misread the ILM consensus, or misremember it, with alarming regularity.

grimly fiendish, Sunday, 23 December 2007 00:08 (eighteen years ago)

Trust.

Simon H., Sunday, 23 December 2007 00:15 (eighteen years ago)

grimly, my fave low song every is "Over the Ocean," with "Coattails" coming in on a close second. then third is clearly "In the Drugs."

the table is the table, Sunday, 23 December 2007 00:23 (eighteen years ago)

trust. i was well and truly off the low bus by that point and it got me right back on

electricsound, Sunday, 23 December 2007 00:38 (eighteen years ago)

trust is probably my favourite. in interviews the band seems to indicate they weren't satisfied with it, which baffles me.

LaMonte, Sunday, 23 December 2007 00:55 (eighteen years ago)

the production is very different/slicker than the other albums, which is probably why they don't care for it. I think it suits the material, though, and Blake was smart enough to let songs like "John Prine" retain their spare power.

but I mean, c'mon, it's got "in the drugs", "little argument with myself", "amazing grace", "point of disgust", "snowstorm"...

Simon H., Sunday, 23 December 2007 00:58 (eighteen years ago)

i love the austere brutality of the songs like "john prine" and "the lamb".

LaMonte, Sunday, 23 December 2007 01:09 (eighteen years ago)

re: Albini adding to Low's sound with strings - who's to say it wasn't the band's decision to add those elements and flesh out their sound a bit more? i'm not sure it was Albini's choice to add strings and such; maybe he was chosen, rather coincidentally, to produce the two records where they happened to add those elements. i just can't picture Albini asking for strings, you know?

stephen, Sunday, 23 December 2007 04:02 (eighteen years ago)

i think it's the weakest of the bunch, although "weakest" in this context is still "borderline godlike" in any sane universe

and basically, this ^^^ can be said about any record in the Low canon - it's a very subjective/relative catalog, not really an album that is *clearly* stronger or weaker than the ones before or after it, just consistently great songs on consistently solid albums - which pretty much sums up their Godlike-ness to me.

stephen, Sunday, 23 December 2007 04:05 (eighteen years ago)

i just can't picture Albini asking for strings, you know? - yeah, you're probably right about this. If so, it's still odd for a band that started out with such a minimalistic approach to select Albini as a producer when they want to expand their sound. It's as if they were going in the opposite direction on the line of logic that inspires most musicians when they hire Albini: "Hey that last record was way too prog, we'd better give Steve a call and get back to basics"

Pillbox, Sunday, 23 December 2007 04:56 (eighteen years ago)

Things We Lost In The Fire for me.

krakow, Sunday, 23 December 2007 08:05 (eighteen years ago)

Another "curtain" here. And "over the ocean" is my favourite Low song too.

abbysmyname, Sunday, 23 December 2007 10:26 (eighteen years ago)

Trust for me. I think Blake's production really pushes the material over the top.

EZ Snappin, Sunday, 23 December 2007 13:57 (eighteen years ago)

earlier the better, imo

pc user, Sunday, 23 December 2007 14:01 (eighteen years ago)

Long Division! Violence is the best Low song!

scott seward, Sunday, 23 December 2007 14:24 (eighteen years ago)

'Curtain' again - my gut reaction to the question was immediate. If i sit thinking about this I will change ny answer a hundred times. Grimley is correct - best implies that the others aren't up to scratch but with Low this can't be further form the truth.

And I'm not complaining about it's exclusion, but I play a selection from 'A Lifetime of Temporary Relief' more than most of the other albums now. It's right that it is not included, but it's a damn fine box set.

Guilty_Boksen, Sunday, 23 December 2007 14:44 (eighteen years ago)

Things We Lost In The Fire for me; "Laser Beam" is the Platonic ideal of a Low song for me.

Euler, Sunday, 23 December 2007 15:26 (eighteen years ago)

Next Low poll suggestion: "which of these releases would you never ever choose as your favourite one?"

StanM, Sunday, 23 December 2007 16:46 (eighteen years ago)

Next Low poll suggestion: "which of these releases would you never ever choose as your favourite one

I think most people would choose The Great Destroyer, which might be my favorite Low disc. Now that's heresy, I suppose.

Daniel, Esq., Sunday, 23 December 2007 16:52 (eighteen years ago)

i luv luv luv the great destroyer - its the only one ive ever really gotten in to - cause you know the rest are insanely boring - sorry low fans!

jhøshea, Sunday, 23 December 2007 16:59 (eighteen years ago)

^ ban

;-)

StanM, Sunday, 23 December 2007 17:04 (eighteen years ago)

theres something so glorious abt such a disciplined tightly wound band lightening up and expanding like that. i was hoping they'd continue the trend w/drums and guns - needless to say: wicked disappointed.

jhøshea, Sunday, 23 December 2007 17:10 (eighteen years ago)

I like all Low albums, but The Great Destroyer is up there as one of my favourites. Don't think I'd pick as the best though.

Colonel Poo, Sunday, 23 December 2007 17:13 (eighteen years ago)

surprisingly almost impossible, although it def. isn't destroyer....I'll go with Curtain

akm, Sunday, 23 December 2007 19:05 (eighteen years ago)

also, drums and guns had plenty of experimentation!

akm, Sunday, 23 December 2007 19:25 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.sfu.ca/~jdo1/low/sleeve.jpg

Geir Hongro, Sunday, 23 December 2007 19:30 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.sfu.ca/~jdo1/low/sleeve.jpg

Geir Hongro, Sunday, 23 December 2007 19:30 (eighteen years ago)

Now if only Low released something called David Bowie, we'd have another Green/REM - REM/Green!

StanM, Sunday, 23 December 2007 19:37 (eighteen years ago)

*waves at people who use ILM for inspiration for their music quizzes*

StanM, Sunday, 23 December 2007 19:39 (eighteen years ago)

I love Low. Voted earlier, and I think I picked Things We Lost..., but could just as easily have been Trust. They're consistently brilliant, and yes, including The Great Destroyer. "Pissing" and "Silver Rider" are both gorgeous for a start.

Lostandfound, Sunday, 23 December 2007 20:46 (eighteen years ago)

"Things we lost", I guess. Here's a theory: "The Great Destroyer" was made for the people at shows who shout, "Canada, Canada!" Well, maybe I went to the wrong shows. God, that guy was annoying.

Rich Smörgasbord, Sunday, 23 December 2007 22:20 (eighteen years ago)

Now if only Low released something called David Bowie

http://www.waiting4louise.de/cover/Cover-NickLowe-Bowi.jpg

Geir Hongro, Sunday, 23 December 2007 22:20 (eighteen years ago)

omg! I didn't know that, brilliant!

StanM, Sunday, 23 December 2007 22:36 (eighteen years ago)

Too hard! I might pick the Great Destroyer, actually - but some days it's Long Division (Violence is probably my favourite Low song, still). The Curtain Hits The Cast is near-perfect, too. And One More Reason to Forget has two of my all-time favourite Low tracks - the original If You Were Born Today, and that astonishing version of Do You Know How To Waltz?

I wonder if this will be a poll that lots of people find so tricky that they abstain?

toby, Sunday, 23 December 2007 22:56 (eighteen years ago)

"Laser Beam" is the Platonic ideal of a Low song for me.

True - although it's definitely one of the ones which is 10x better live than on record.

toby, Sunday, 23 December 2007 22:56 (eighteen years ago)

Long Division. It has Caroline, Shame, Throw Out The line, Violence... this is easy for me.

wanko ergo sum, Sunday, 23 December 2007 23:01 (eighteen years ago)

i just can't picture Albini asking for strings, you know? - yeah, you're probably right about this. If so, it's still odd for a band that started out with such a minimalistic approach to select Albini as a producer when they want to expand their sound. It's as if they were going in the opposite direction on the line of logic that inspires most musicians when they hire Albini: "Hey that last record was way too prog, we'd better give Steve a call and get back to basics"

-- Pillbox, Sunday, December 23, 2007 4:56 AM (18 hours ago) Bookmark Link

Actually, as I've heard it the sound of their first three records was very influenced by Kramer, and I've never heard them make similar comments about subsequent producers.

The thing I notice most about the Albini albums (and everything after) is that the band's flaws are left exposed. For instance Mimi hardly double-tracks her vocals post-Curtain, and likewise Alan stretches himself vocally more; and you can hear the band paying much closer attention to every small sound their instruments make. Listen to Songs for a Dead Pilot, especially "Born by the Wires," and how Alan plays that one chord over and over. It is brilliant, because the chord is nice and muddy but every strum is just a little different. No song better illustrates the idea of Low as a minimalist band. Elsewhere, "Two Step" on Secret Name, which is a nearly pristine song except that Mimi's voice cracks here and there--something that previously never happened on a Low song. If anything, in the post-Kramer era the band made a conscious decision to become more raw and more explicitly minimalist (not just "slow and quiet"), and Albini, among others, seems like the perfect candidate to complement that aesthetic. Even if there are strings.

pgwp, Sunday, 23 December 2007 23:53 (eighteen years ago)

i dunno, Alan is definitely hitting some fucking high notes on tracks from Curtain. i'm a pretty high baritone or low tenor and have trouble singin with him.

the table is the table, Monday, 24 December 2007 02:09 (seventeen years ago)

A nearly impossible task. Went with first instinct, Things We Lost. Someone on one of the other Low threads described Things We Lost as the Low gateway drug. Very OTM. One hit of that disc pulled me right into their universe. Happy to have never escaped.

that's not my post, Monday, 24 December 2007 06:33 (seventeen years ago)

Xmas EP.

Kevin John Bozelka, Monday, 24 December 2007 07:24 (seventeen years ago)

"I Could Live In Hope" was like the only thing I really wanted to own of them. Seriously.

But I do have the new album and I know exactly where it is.

Bimble, Monday, 24 December 2007 07:29 (seventeen years ago)

I could live in hope was some really nice sub-Joy Division stuff. I'm worried I don't have it anymore. Life sucks.

Bimble, Monday, 24 December 2007 07:30 (seventeen years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

ILX System, Friday, 28 December 2007 00:01 (seventeen years ago)

Things We... has disappeared as an option!?

S-, Friday, 28 December 2007 01:49 (seventeen years ago)

The Curtain.... has disappeared too!

Herman G. Neuname, Friday, 28 December 2007 02:04 (seventeen years ago)

and secret name wtf

strgn, Friday, 28 December 2007 02:13 (seventeen years ago)

It's a fix!!

Herman G. Neuname, Friday, 28 December 2007 02:13 (seventeen years ago)

Haha, ILM should be dropped a (long) division for match fixing!

Lostandfound, Friday, 28 December 2007 04:20 (seventeen years ago)

abini has worked on other albums that use strings and ornate production, it's not weird at all.

i can't really decide between secret name and things we lost...i guess secret name cuz it was the first one i bought by them and "Starfire" is maybe my fav song by them.

M@tt He1ges0n, Friday, 28 December 2007 04:49 (seventeen years ago)

FYI ( can someone fix the source for the "disappearing images = disappearing poll answers" LOW poll? )

StanM, Friday, 28 December 2007 07:15 (seventeen years ago)

I would vote for Curtain if it was an option

zaxxon25, Friday, 28 December 2007 19:09 (seventeen years ago)

I like A Lifetime of Temporary Relief

I know, right?, Friday, 28 December 2007 19:13 (seventeen years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

ILX System, Saturday, 29 December 2007 00:01 (seventeen years ago)

So was Curtain 1st or 3rd?

Herman G. Neuname, Saturday, 29 December 2007 00:43 (seventeen years ago)

Er, what happened to The Great Destroyer?

Spencer Chow, Saturday, 29 December 2007 02:12 (seventeen years ago)

So we're missing I Could Live in Hope, Long Division, Things We Lost in the Fire, The Great Destroyer, and Drums and Guns on the results list. Now that's just ridiculous.

stephen, Monday, 31 December 2007 00:34 (seventeen years ago)

what the fuck happened here, then?

we need a re-poll :)

grimly fiendish, Tuesday, 1 January 2008 16:44 (seventeen years ago)

two years pass...

Where's a good place to start with Low? I've only heard 'over the ocean', which I really like. Things we lost in the fire is supposedly great, yet seems to be missing from the poll...unless I'm blind.

Tim. E "LazRus" Lucas (Prose b4 Hoes...and Big Hoos), Sunday, 5 September 2010 07:00 (fifteen years ago)

Yeah God knows what is up with that. Things We Lost In The Fire and Secret Name are the two essential Low albums for me. The others are all great as well though!

margana (anagram), Sunday, 5 September 2010 07:41 (fifteen years ago)

Awesome, I'll check those out. Thanks!

Tim. E "LazRus" Lucas (Prose b4 Hoes...and Big Hoos), Sunday, 5 September 2010 07:50 (fifteen years ago)

I asked for a mod to intervene, but they didn't/couldn't - can someone fix the source for the "disappearing images = disappearing poll answers" LOW poll? :-(

StanM, Sunday, 5 September 2010 08:19 (fifteen years ago)


You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.