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This album really took awhile to grow on me, but I do think it is a good record, and while there are a few songs I don't really care for, it has a number of really great songs.

I think it's a terrible record. The "good" songs are mediocre at best (compared to previous Low songs) and the bad songs are among the worst songs I've ever heard. Truly awful. So, with the bad songs reeking and the "good" songs sucking- I'd give this record a 3. Seriously, if this was a new band without the past would you guys give them this much of a chance? I know I'd just throw it in the garbage.

I think I would. I generally listen to things a lot before deciding. Honestly, at first I was disappointed, but still liked it more than the last record. But the more I listened to it, the more I really enjoyed the majority of the songs. I dont' think the good songs are mediocre at all. Though there are some songs on it that I don't like at all.

Cool man. Yeah, it's true that you are more fair in regards to giving things chances. I just want a Low record that I don't have to work to like.

Just testing to see if I can comment - am awaiting the arrival of TGD from Amazon - should be an interesting listen, if nothing else. Hope to get a review of the new Fall CD, Interim, over for the site shortly.

Bryan, I liked this CD from first listen; I didn't have to give it "much of a chance." In fact, since I hadn't liked a Low CD a lot since Secret Name (i.e., more than 9/12), I was ready to write this one off as well. However, the mood and lyrics of the album got me into it really quickly (I'd take a song about hating writing songs any day over a song about Canada), and as I listened to it more, the more typical Low songs like "Silver Rider" became more powerful. It's not as good as Long Division or Curtain Hits the Cast, and no one is trying to say that, but it is good and a much more personal and open take of where they are as a band than "Dinosaur Act." If you're ready to close the book on Low, that's fine - they will never be as good as they were - but that seems to be coloring your opinion more than the content of the album.

I'm closing the book on Low because this new record sucks, regardless of the past. Honestly, if I heard this record without knowing who the band was, I would dislike it more. The only thing saving it even slightly is the fact that Low's name is on it. This can't just be written off as "you just haven't heard it enough" because I listened to it all day for 4 days trying to justify owning it. I flat out hate this record.

As for why I hate it so much? I just don't really go for sort of rock (but not quite) emo type singer songwriter stuff much. The mood is always as important as the music in my opinion, and the mood of this album seems to be "off" or strained to my ears. This record doesn't seem to have been recorded while Low was in a comfortable headspace, and I just don't think their band works in that context.

After seeing Low play these songs live they way they should have been played all along, I am convinced that my initial opinion about this album was right - the songs are actually good, but the album was ruined by Dave Friedman's overproduction. Spearhawk is his own best producer. All you need to do is compare the album version of "Silver Rider" with the "Murderer" ep version to hear the proof. I just hope the band has learned from their mistake and realize that if they want to rock out a little bit more that is fine, but they don't need the slick bombast of a bloated Pitchfork producer-of-the-month to shake up their sound.

agree completely with jason. the songs are consistently good, as always, but way they are played, and especially the production, hurt them.

low are still my favorite, though.

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