low

Drums And Guns

Back in stock! 'Drums and Guns' is without a doubt one of the most peculiarly produced albums I have ever heard. Engineered again by producer extraordinaire and ex Mercury Rev man Dave Fridmann, the most startling thing about the album is that all the vocals are hard panned to the right channel, and sometimes all the melodies too. It's hard to explain without actually hearing it but this is more than a disorientating experience, the first time I heard the record I genuinely thought it was a copy protection issue and that the early promo versions were like this to stop people from sharing it, but slowly all became clear. To be honest listening on headphones is out of the question, it's far too bizarre, but played loud on a nice stereo system you truly get what the band were trying to achieve. This is an album that sounds totally dislocated from life itself, it sounds nothing like any other record I can bring to mind, and clearly this was what the band and their producer were aiming for. Maybe it was a conscious decision in regards to the album's macabre subject matter - 'Drums and Guns' is entirely written about murder and death with tracks such as 'Murderer', 'Hatchet' and 'Your Poison' exploring the themes mercilessly, but strangely this also sounds like one of Low's most accessible albums. The looping electronic elements; drum machines, processed vocals, synthesizers and treated guitars add so much to the sound of this band now on their eighth album and make 'Drums and Guns' as surprising and diverse a set as they have ever released. Maybe their lyrical content is occasionally slightly overwrought and some of the production can sometimes fall flat, but that's to be expected when a band is taking so many risks, and at this stage in their career they just have to be applauded. A daring and stunning piece of work from a band that continue to impress at every stage... huge recommendation!