Low - C'mon (April 2011)

Low / C'mon - SP905

C’mon is the shortest title of any Low album, which seems fitting, as it also ranks among the most succinct and straightforward entries in their variegated discography. Singer-guitarist Alan Sparhawk has even perfected the “elevator pitch” for C’mon: “Recorded in an old church in Duluth, MN and mixed in an apartment in Hollywood, CA.” But that brief synopsis hides universes.

Comprised of new material written on and off the road, the ten-song set was recorded in a former Catholic church, aka Sacred Heart Studio (where the band previously crafted 2002’s Trust) and co-produced and mixed by Matt Beckley. The band took full advantage of Sacred Heart’s high, vaulted ceilings, natural reverb, and audible affinity for organ sounds and group singing. The thunder-crack percussion that peppers the final minute of the slowly unfolding “Majesty/Magic” is just one example of this dynamic in action. With its jangly guitars and sweet vocal harmonies, opener “Try to Sleep” sets the album’s tone: Warmer, fuller and more introspective. Whereas 2007’s Drums and Guns railed against the war in Iraq, C’mon feels like a plea for humanity, decency and common sense in a world gone mad. Sparhawk concurs. “With the last couple of records, we were grappling with something outside of ourselves. This one feels more like, ‘Well, forget that. I’m looking in your eyes right now, and we need to figure out how to get through the next moment, together, as human beings.’”

Without curtailing their artistry one iota, the trio has made one of its most accessible, affecting albums to date. And while the origins of C’mon may lie in a church in Minnesota, Beckley’s apartment in CA and the hearts of the modest individuals who created it, the resulting music has the capacity to resonate deeply with audiences everywhere.

Released: April 12, 2011

w00t

psyched!

Based on everything they played at the Christmas show in LA last month from this new one -- something like ten songs! -- it'll be stellar.

Based on everything they played at the Christmas show in LA last month from this new one -- something like ten songs! -- have ever released since 1994 or so, it'll be stellar.

been listening to them a lot again partic. that box set of b sides which is the first low release i bought for some reason.

so excited for this disc. nels cline is on it!, iirc

oh yes nels cline is only on awesome albums

oh yes, indeed

C'mon and release the album! One of the few I will buy day 1 of release.

The band took full advantage of Sacred Heart’s high, vaulted ceilings, natural reverb, and audible affinity for organ sounds and group singing.

Now THIS is the sort of good news I want to hear about this particular band!

have they had organs and group singing before?

they had a church choir from duluth play with them at one christmas show i saw, was lovely

xp - no, I just think that such elements could potentially add a really interesting dimension to the already hymn-like aspects of their sound.

tho tbh I'd be a lot more wary of the 'group singing' part if they were still working with Friddman

hooray!

Organs + more emphasis on vocal harmonies + more Mimi = always a good thing

in retrospect the great destroyer was notably awful

Indeed.

no fridmann = thank fucking god

'Drums & Guns' might be my favorite thing they've done (followed by 'Secret Name,' 'Songs for a Dead Pilot,' and the EP with Spring Heel Jack). But the second Retribution Gospel Choir album--the next work from Sparhawk--was unbelievably awful. Sounds like this album is being touted as a "return to form," which doesn't really excite me--I've loved that they've mostly tried new things over the last decade-plus. . . Fingers crossed, though.

in retrospect the great destroyer was notably awful

eh, it was uneven, but the high points -- monkey, silver rider, death of a salesman, california, just stand back -- were mesmerizing.

agreed re: the great destroyer. some really strong tunes there.

yeah i thought i liked monkey and i watched the video for it on youtube and i had never seen it before and i was like ugh maybe i misunderstood this band and they are really in fact terrible.

have you heard the version of monkey on the free ep they just released? a little softer, a little more in-line with the rest of their aesthetic. might change yr mind on the song.

from where I stand, Low have been the most dependably excellent *rock band* of the last 10-15 years. TGD being 'slightly uneven' (an accurate assessment, I would say) is pretty much the worst slight you can throw at them imo. So it is difficult to imagine the new record being something I will be unhappy with. I'm just pleased (and frankly a little relieved - I was getting worried there for a second) that they are finally getting around to releasing new material - and also that Alan seems to have regained his livelihood (fingers crossed).

ive had breaker in my head for like a week btw

murderer and violent past for me. has there been a better one-two punch of intensity to close an album over the past few years?

So stoked for this.

But the second Retribution Gospel Choir album--the next work from Sparhawk--was unbelievably awful.

no, it is great! but great destroyer is not so good.

Great Destroyer is their best album and I've never understood the no Mimi = no good argument. She's all over the album, just not singing solos!

i don't think the great destroyer's their best, but it WAS my first low album and brought me into the fold v. strongly, so it does something right!

Songs on the Murderer EP are better on the EP than they are on other records.

true

is secret name the consensus pick?

I don't think there is a consensus pick for Low.

I think Low is like Saturday Night Live in that your favorite season is always the one you grew up with

Think you're onto something here. I caught them twice on the first album tour and much as I love what they've done ever since I kinda can't get over those earliest songs still.

We've done the albums poll twice and I think the results were pretty evenly spread both times. CHTC is the canonical pick iirc. Or maybe that's just me.

yeah that's mine

I disagree, Whiney. Got into them much earlier, but Drums and Guns is my favourite.

Probably slightly less excited about this than I would have been had I not seen the Retribution Gospel Choir murder some of my favourite Low songs live, and now my faith is somewhat shaken.

i named drums & guns my fav record of 2007 at the time; may still be true

I also disagree, I "grew up" with "Things We Lost In the Fire", but "The Great Destroyer" is my favourite.

If there's a consensus pick, I figured it was either the debut or TWLITF.

See, if I had to guess at a consensus pick, I would think it's Curtain or Secret Name.

But the second Retribution Gospel Choir album--the next work from Sparhawk--was unbelievably awful.

I haven't heard it, but wasn't that recorded and released around the same time that Sparhawk was going through some sort of emotional breakdown/hospitalization? If so, that might explains its (alleged) awfulness more than anything.

Hmm, could be. But watching the recent documentary ('You May Need a Murderer') I got the impression 'Drums & Guns' reflected a lot of his darkest moments. The first RGC record was clearly just a little fun, simply produced--nothing great, but not offensive. The second Retribution Gospel Choir sounds like an awful mid-90s "alternative rock" album along the lines of Stone Temple Pilots or something; its production values are the audio equivalent of a Michael Bay movie.

I can't imagine I Could Live in Hope being your favorite Low LP, even if it was the one you grew up with. (Even if "Words" is the best song ever.)

Yeah, agree the early stuff, while charming, doesn't really stack up. They're one of the few artists I can think of whose creative trajectory has been mostly ascending throughout, especially over 16+ years. I got into them around '98, and that's around when I feel like they started really taking off.

'Things We Lost in the Fire' is great, but it always baffled me that it was apparently the one that "hit" with a larger audience. It's good, but not as good as 'Secret Name' or 'Trust' (the general dislike for which baffles me).

Trust might be my favorite on balance.

in tracing the nucleus of the bands aesthetic, I think the first two albums & related EPs etc. have aged just fine, though I would agree that they had yet to really come into their own. Still, I know plenty of others who would totally disagree with that.

The thing about their early ultra-spare & deliberately languid material - it was TOTALLY mesmerizing when played live. Those were the days when fans at their shows used to sit on the floor as a general rule, even in dingy little nightclubs.

After one listen to the leaked C'mon, a problem for me is the emergence in Low of this seeming inevitability in aging bands, that is, the lyrics becoming more plain and direct rather than obtuse/poetical/lyrical, and using that directness to moralize/preach/soapbox. One of the Mimi songs sounds ready for CCM and is about as lyrically presumptuous and trite as anything else you find there.

that nels piece sure makes me want to hear the record. i didn't know about the low documentary, is it good?

Very.

like their music, it's understated and very intense at times

finally got around to this. for me the big keepers are "especially me", "majesty/magic", and "nothing but heart". looking forward to seeing them in a few weeks.

Mimi's countermelody on "Nothing But Heart" :O

There's an acoustic EP with some copies of the album, apparently?

Here's one track Alan played in Brussels this week (more during the radio show on Sunday)

http://www.stubru.be/programmas/intomusic/lowakoestisch

I'm finding it lighter, more comfy, dare I say in places blander than 'Drums and Guns'. Maybe it's a little less produced than that was. It's very nice in places but yeah, somewhat of a disappointment here.

yeah i would have loved "drums & gun pt 2", but didn't honestly expect that at all

what the http://music-mix.ew.com/2011/04/12/low-john-stamos-video-try-to-sleep/

wau

I've only managed to hear the first half (albeit three or four times) but I'm really digging it.

this album is lovely. definitely a turn away from the drums and guns experimentation, but i really like it.

hollis sparhawk and cyrus sparhawk - back-up vocals

yay!

I'm really into this. Very nice to hear some lead vocals from Mimi again.

Does everybody know there is an acoustic ep available from only a small handful of places?

Everyone who preordered the album from subpop got a download link for the ep too.

I asked SubPop for a physical copy and they said yes. If you fancy it that might be the answer.

Drowned in Sound has track by track commentary & a long interview with Alan

http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4142413-low-c-mon-track-by-track

I like the cryptic comments but I can't say I understand what the songs mean any better now.

the new songs sounded great last night

I like that every new Low album feels like it could be my favorite.

I watched "You May Be a Murderer" last night... wow, what a sad film. It gave me a newfound appreciation for Drums and Guns... but I'm all the happier knowing C'mon didn't continue in that direction. Does that mean Alan is less on edge? Jesus, I hope so.

'you see everything' could be an ida song

i think this is their best engineered record since 'curtain'

dope live show

Indeed. Saw them Monday in Toronto. Surprised to see the drummer from RCG playing keyboards. Wish the show could have gone on forever.

haha i was @ that show. i missed part of the show but it was great - was surprised by how good they sounded for some reason

Cannot stop playing "Nothing But Heart."

"Nothing But Heart" is one of those songs that could go on forever.

My thoughts on C'mon.

loving that "Africa" cover

love the Especially Me / Nothing but Heart love here :D

Caught them in Manchester last week. Show was not quite sold out, but pretty well attended and a really good, attentive crowd. I've seen them on every UK tour since Things We Lost... came out and by now I suppose I should be used to their mesmeric and wonderful live performances, but srsly I could go to see them every.damn.week. They played most of C'mon and I was really happy to hear "Two Step" and "Sunflower" again; because their back catalogue is so large and rich now I'll always be disappointed until they start playing 3-hour shows like The Cure.

A couple of observations on the current tour: they looked *much* happier to be playing together than last time I saw them, plenty of smiling and whispered chat between Alan and Mimi, and although Alan didn't say a word until quite late into the gig he looked relaxed and seemed to be enjoying himself. Also, maybe it's the royalties from the Plant covers, but he's really upgraded his guitars since last time out: a lovely Gretsch for a couple of songs and the rest of the time a stunning Les Paul trad with Bigsby which he got an absolutely exquisite sound from. He's very self-deprecating about his playing, but I'd rank him up there with the best live guitarists I've seen.

agree w/ the 3 hour set thing, though it's not even enough for the Cure these days: i saw them three times in 2008 (i think) in three texas cities, and they still managed to play 40-50% unique songs each night. amazing shows

Sparhawk's also one of the few near-exclusive open G players aside from Keith Richards. Like Richards, it leads him to some interesting approaches.

http://www.npr.org/2011/05/22/136498043/low-tiny-desk-concert

they'll play the lido in berlin-kreuzberg on monday. anyone else from ilm going there?

All Alan Sparhawk wants is a Pepsi: http://www.avclub.com/articles/portland-cello-project-and-alan-sparhawk-of-low-co,70709/

So Jeff Tweedy is producing the new Low record apparently. Don't know how I feel about this.

I'm cool with it. Aside from liking Jeff Tweedy, I don't think any producer has ever been able to mess up Low's sound. (Has Tweedy ever served as producer on another record? Does he produce the Wilco records?)

I'm struggling to think of a recent band who's worked with a more eclectic set of producers, actually.

really? save for the last dude it's just been indie "names"

thank god they stopped using fridmann though

Does anyone at all rate Fridmann anymore?

I like both of the Fridmann LPs more than C'mon.

i love the actual songs, but not so much the sounds

i love how drums & guns sounds, but i've always put that down to sparhawk since it's so sample-based. i think i remember reading that he put all the loops etc together?

yeah Drums & Guns is fantastic, but a lot of my favourite albums are produced by fridmann (Embryonic, The Woods)

can't believe i skipped this one back then, don't think anything will surpass Things We Lost in the Fire for me but this is close and easily my second favorite now.

this album is probably my fave by them, it is just so unbelievably smooth. their 2011 berlin concert was awesome. the audience was so quiet & focussed.