by Kyle Olson
In an effort to fulfill some bizarre
need in my life, I purchase a lot of CDs, both old and new. They
are obsessively cataloged and organized and poured over track by
track (Seriously, it's obsessive. It involves post-it notes and
code and excel spreadsheets). It is truly a labor of love (and
an unhealthy psychological imperative). But, since I am consuming
so much music, I thought I could use this constant influx for the
powers of good. Should I come across anything worth sharing (either
a new release or an old favorite), I will share them with you.
So you'll love me.
Low - A Lifetime of
Temporary Relief (Chairkickers Music)
The first thing most people are going to notice about Low, Duluth's
champion of the unfortunately-named genre "slowcore," is
their glacial pace. Any listener who gives them more than a casual
listen, however, will be rewarded by recognizing the heart-stopping
beauty of the band's merrily minimalist melodies. Low's core
of husband-wife team Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker have been
releasing chillingly gorgeous music for well over a decade now,
being recorded by Steve Albini, putting out albums on the heavyweights
of indie labels, getting Christmas songs into Gap ads, touring
with bands from Swans to Radiohead, and otherwise just being
married Mormon folks who can pick a great cover and coo your
still-beating heart right out of your chest. By releasing A
Lifetime of Temporary Relief, Low has given a gift
to music fans everywhere. Fans of Low will now have a 3-CD/1-DVD
collection of B-sides, rarities, and documentary footage to fill
in the gaps of their adoration, and newcomers wanting to check
out the band's sterling reputation have a perfect entry point
to hear every facet and aspect of Low's decade-long career.
It would be easy to peg Low as a band that simply does "slow/pretty" very
well. This is due to the fact that Low... well.... does "slow/pretty" very
well. But it would be very boring if that was all they did, and Lifetime
helps to illustrate the other characteristics of the Minnesota
trio.
For instance, their cover of Journey's "Open Arms" for
a friend's wedding (in which Sparhawk breaks into laughter mid-way
through) is a pretty sizeable nod to the band's sense of humor.
As are the secret tracks on disc two that document a Halloween
show where the band speedily ripped through several of their
songs as the Misfits (complete with makeup). Their hushed cover
of the Beach Boys' "Surfer Girl," accompanied by the
liner note that this is the song they sing to their baby as they're
putting her to sleep, depicts a band that's easily as "cute" as
any of the boy-girl kissyface duos out there. Sparhawk is no
stranger to a six string, and can do guitar-rock with casual
aplomb. And for every track that displays an ear for perfectly
tuned pop like "Venus" or "Don't Carry It All," there's
a piece that's as tense and dark as the most foreboding moments
in post-punk/rock.
A Lifetime of Temporary Relief is well worth the
price of admission for the covers alone. Low re-imagines songs
from Magazine, the BeeGees, the Beatles, Spacemen 3, Soul Coughing,
John Denver, fellow Duluthian Bob Dylan, Tom T Hall, Jandek,
Pink Floyd, and the Smiths (which got them bottled at a Manchester
gig). The songs are all transmogrified into Low's continental
drift-speed style. And due to the music being so warmly cooed
and intimate, these covers become love letters to the bands who
wrote them. The covers simultaneously illustrate the beauty behind
the songs Low loves, and the love they have for performing them.
This box set wins high marks not only for the quality of music
contained, but the diversity. Lifetime is
a powder-blue treasure trove, rewarding all who seek out and
open it. With music as beautiful and simple as this, Low can't
help but be the perfect soundtrack to any season. Quiet, romantic
winter evening in front of the fireplace? The intimate, whispered
love songs will work. Spring Sunday morning reading on patio
furniture in your parents' back yard? The ephemeral nature of
many of these songs is as soothing as a breeze. Midnight autumn
knife fight to defend the honor of your sister? Well....that
one may be a stretch. The point is, A Lifetime of Temporary
Relief runs the gamut from minimalist wizardry (with
songs that sound full and epic with nothing more than simple
keyboard pads and vocals), to low-key guitar heroics. Any music
fan who doesn't have ADHD should be able to appreciate something
in this box set. The four discs it contains stretch ahead like
the perfect Saturday, waiting for a listener with whom to spend
a sensually languorous afternoon.
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