Drums and Guns (Sub Pop)
After an album like The Great Destroyer, you would expect that a band such as Low would have followed it up with a record having the same dynamic, filtering their signature "slowcore" sound within. Well, at least I would have. In fact, Drums and Guns isn't such a radical departure from their pre-Destroyer days, with it's haunting, echoing vocals layered over a minimalist type sound. The difference is the surprise: not only is Drums and Guns nothing like Destroyer, it's even more minimal than anything they've released. But the minimalism doesn't drown out and leave you unfulfilled. It's accompanied by electronic back beats and loops which give the record a more experimental feel. Alan Sparhawk has called [this element] hip-hop. And while it's far from the standard hip-hop style, the experimentation is similar to how hip-hop records are made, especially with- surprise- the drums. That's why it's experimentation: Low aren't rappers.
The result is one of restraint. You get the feeling Low could have busted loose and really created some memorable songs for the kids if they had wanted (ie. "Your Poison.") But Low is satisfied with not letting loose and comfortable with their pace. They know the songs are fine as stripped-down as they are and don't force the issue. As with any Low record, the lyrics are dark- but this time around- without much gentleness. Alan Sparhawk has said that as far as he can tell, the album is about killing. Really? "It looks like you could use a murderer" Sparhawk addresses his maker in the appropriately titled and stand-out track, "Murderer." Other titles like "Hatchet" and "Violent Past" state the case as well. Given the lyrical content, the title, Drums and Guns, seems less like a mantra to arms and rather an introspection of personal struggle.
The irony is that Sparhawk and co. are self-proclaimed optimists and after spending time with yours truly, I can attest to that. They're simply masters of a craft. Like Flannery O'conner, who was able to access and produce dark yet inspiring rhetoric, Low is able to tap into a similar albeit musical vein, which slightly echoes a sense of spirituality just as O'conner did. Low's previous album, while definitely not music for Stuart Smiley, unveiled Low's rock-pop side and had a sense of that optimism. But for all it's differences to The Great Destroyer, Drums and Guns is a solid record that returns to Low's roots. It's nice to have the old Low back, where instead of just telling us about darkness, they calmly whisper the haunting into our ears.
hear: Belarus, Breaker, Hatchet, Murderer, Violent Past
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