A LOW Point In My Life...

Most of my friends have always known me to be a fan of sad songs. Blame it all on my classic country upbringing. I'd like to credit some of it to the Cowboy Junkies Trinity Sessions record. My girlfriend at the time HATED that record. More for me! Anyway, in tracing things back, the Velvet Underground played a heavy part in that laid back sound that is now often referred to as "slowcore" or "sadcore" music. I'm not saying that it's good to be sad. I tuned in to an interview with Margo Timmins on KCRW's "Snap" (hosted by the late Deirdre O'Donoghue) radio show in the late 1980's where she commented on the importance of feeling all emotions every so often as to not lose touch with their meaning and to stay in proper balance with those meanings. We all have soundtracks to our lives. We (and our music) can be aggressive, upbeat, depressed, indifferent... whatever. So, with that said... I recently emerged from some sort of hibernation which allowed me to not realize that a band called Low existed. I checked out an advance copy of their January 2005 release and was blown away. I cannot tell you how easy it was for me to embrace this trio from Duluth, Minnesota. Needless to say, I have been submersed in this band as of late, and I have some catching up to do.

When you're done making fun of me, feel free to check out the top five Low tracks that keep making me hit the repeat button.

"Don't Drop The Baby" from Lifetime Of Temporary Relief (2004)
A rarity from their recent box set, with quirky lyrics about the proper handling of infants. This one cracks me up, but at the same time, it reminds me of "Put Your Big Toe In The Milk Of Human Kindness" from Rob Wasserman's Trios record (featuring Elvis Costello on lead). Very jazz-standard meets vaudevillian-croon. Have I mentioned that I am in LOVE with Mimi Parker's voice? I think she could tell me to go to Hell and I would just melt (well, you know what I mean).

"Dinosaur Act" from Things We Lost In The Fire (2001)
Great melody and nice, vivid words. "And putting your foot down, the nail shot up like a bright red snowflake." Not the prettiest picture in the gallery, but I like it. More for me. ;-)

"Over The Ocean" from The Curtain Hits The Cast (1996)
Simply beautiful. Sure enough, this one is one of their more popular tracks... appearing as a video on their rarities box set as well as showing up on both of their two live albums.

"Just Stand Back" from The Great Destroyer (2005)
An upbeat track that reminds me much of the Blake Babies. Something about the line, "...I can turn on you so fast" that, depending on your footing, can leave you uneasy or give you a little boost of strength. In my case, I am feeling stronger every day.

"When I Go Deaf" from The Great Destroyer (2005)
Okay, just when I'm feeling stronger about things... I hear this track, and it tears me up. A song about losing your sense of hearing. I know, I know. I would be lost without sound. In this song, the singer embraces the inevitable by acknowledging that he would have to stop writing songs (perhaps the saddest thing ever), yet he and his lover would probably not fight any longer. Oh, the pro's and con's. And, just when the lyrical bottom seems to drop out on this faint acoustic ballad, the band explodes into a loud sonic triumph. Amazingly brilliant.

Tissues are available upon request.

Feel free to share your top five or relative comments.