The Low Anthem - "Smart Flesh" CD

Recorded (at least partially) in an abandoned pasta sauce factory in their home state of Rhode Island, this album further proves that the Low Anthem are one of America's best unknown musical treasures. Sure, they have only a mere 3 albums under their belt, but "Smart Flesh" is wise listening for anyone who appreciates rustic and earthy indie pop with country and drone flavorings.
The spectral and heartfelt opening paean, "Ghost Woman" opens it all in a low-key fashion. It's a great little song, with wonderfully literate verbiage. Perfect. "Apothecary Love" is another memorable and catchy old-time country lament. Beautiful. "Boeing 737" is a rousing and moving anthem, and "Wire" is a lovely clarinet interlude by the band's Jocie Adams. "I'll Take Out Your Ashes" is an appropriately sparse banjo-and-radio ballad featuring charismatic front man Ben Knox Miller. But it's all good, here. Every song tells a story with grace and poeticism.
The Low Anthem will easily appeal to fans of stuff like Dylan, Wilco, or even similarly-named Minnesota drone-rockers Low. This album couldn't get higher marks from me. So what are you waiting for? (Nonesuch Records)

The Low Anthem site

The Low Anthem - "Ghost Woman Blues" on Letterman

Here's a new clip of one of my favorite "new" American acts, The Low Anthem, who Goatsden first encountered (and was mesmerised by) when they opened for Lisa Hannigan. Check this new song from their upcoming album, "Smart Flesh", then check their website and order their stuff! Cool people and amazing music.


The Low Anthem site

The Low Anthem - "Oh My God Charlie Darwin" CD

Seeing this multi-instrumentalist trio open for Irish songstress Lisa Hannigan recently was enough to convince me to pick this one up. Based in Rhode Island, The Low Anthem create brisk and timeless Americana -- melding turn-of-the-century working-class folk, hauntingly tender slow/sad gospel hymns, and raving lunatic blues -- all with startlingly sincere results. Their instrumentation (pump organs, harmonium, cellphones, zithers, Tibetan singing bowls as well as guitars and drums) to craft weathered vagabond stories and hopelessly romantic tales is refreshing and unusual. "Charlie Darwin" opens the set with a stirring falsetto courtesy of frontman Ben Knox Miller. 'To Ohio' is a kind of dead-ringer for Duluth's legendary 'slowcore' progenitors, Low (that's no bad thing). 'The Horizon Is A Beltway' is a rousing hoedown with gruff vocals that channel Tom Waits. In fact, 'Home I'll Never Be' even dares to cover a mighty Waits/Jack Kerouac composition, with surprisingly successful results. 'Ticket Taker' is stark, understated, and absolutely moving, whereas 'Champion Angel' is as anthemic and rocking as anything by Springsteen or the Arcade Fire. This genre-hopping and blending of moods could be disastrous in the hands of a lesser band, but the Low Anthem handle everything like true professionals. They are poised for great things. Hell, they are already there, as far as I'm concerned. It's just time everyone else noticed them. This album is already among my picks-of-the-year. (End Of The Road Records)

The Low Anthem site