Westword

Receive Weekly Email and Text Message Updates:
Sign up for latest info on concerts, dining, promotions and more!

Go!

Music

Related Stories ...

Low
February 23, 2006
Low Profile
October 3, 1996
Low
April 5, 2001
Low Front
March 17, 2005
PILOTES OF THE AIRWAVES
April 13, 1994

Most Popular

Reader's Picks

Top Recommendations

A short list of Denver's most popular hot spots.

The Hornet Denver, CO
Illegal Pete's Denver, CO
Pepsi Center Denver, CO
Mezcal Denver, CO
Duo Restaurant Denver, CO
City, O' City Denver, CO

user content provided by: LikeMe.net & Westword

Westword

Recent Blog Posts

Mile High Murder, No. 50: Jessica Porter identified as victim, Anthony Joseph Romero arrested in stabbing at 1873 S. Clermont Street
Fri Nov 6, 8:38 PM
Fast-track this: Five untapped Colorado energy sources
Fri Nov 6, 3:58 PM
Scenes from the road, starring: Aloft in the Sundry
Fri Nov 6, 2:42 PM
The Rouge's red letter day continues
Fri Nov 6, 2:32 PM
Today: DU students uncork DU Vin Grand Tasting
Sun Nov 8, 7:54 AM
Cafe Society: Week in review
Fri Nov 6, 6:23 PM
Photos: Opening Day at Keystone
Fri Nov 6, 2:49 PM
Know when you can make a snow cat/hip cat pun? The '70s.
Fri Nov 6, 2:29 PM

National Features >

Village Voice
The Great Walls of Chinatown
With the exception of the electric rice cookers, this Bowery tenement could have come straight from the Nineteenth Century.
By Elizabeth Dwoskin
Houston Press
Getting Off
DUI attorney Tyler Flood wins 80 percent of his trials--even if his clients were 100 percent drunk.
By Mike Giglio
Miami New Times
Park or Die Tryin'
From the homeless parking mafia to the meter fairy, finding a spot in Miami has taken a turn toward the surreal.
By Gus Garcia-Roberts
City Pages
The Baddest Men on the Planet
Straight from the Sam's Club tire shop, Brett Rogers prepares to meet Fedor Emelianenko in mortal combat.
By Bradley Campbell

write to the editor | email a friend | print article | write your comment

Low

Christmas
(Kranky)

Share

By Michael Roberts

Published on December 23, 1999

Our recent holiday CD roundup ("Time of the Season," December 9) was intended to be as complete as possible, but a handful of Yuletide discs undercut this goal by arriving after deadline. Among them were Kenny G's Faith: A Holiday Album, which I wasn't nearly foolhardy enough to spin (a guy's got to draw the line somewhere), and Low's latest, arguably the oddest offering of its type this year -- and one of the most pleasurable. For those out of the loop, Low is a Duluth, Minnesota, trio that specializes in indie-pop of an especially droney, meditative sort. It comes as a surprise, then, when "Just Like Christmas," the first track here, announces itself with a fairly jaunty melody and a peppy turn by vocalist/drummer Mimi Parker, plus roiling timpani, a prominent Zak Sally bass line, and sleigh bells shaking in the background. What follows, however, is more characteristic of the group. "Long Way Around the Sea" and "If You Were Born Today," both crooned by guitarist/vocalist Alan Sparhawk, are hushed, reflective and almost impossibly lovely, "Taking Down the Tree" practically turns an annual chore into a religious rite, and "One Special Gift" uses spareness and simplicity to gorgeous effect. Add to that a buzzing, ominous "Little Drummer Boy," a "Blue Christmas" far more dour than any Elvis Presley ever warbled and a "Silent Night" that almost is, and you're left with an album that's beautiful, depressing and serene at exactly the same time. With disc art by John Porcellino, familiar to Denverites through his work with the late, lamented Felt Pilotes, and the sweetest possible liner greeting from the musicians ("Despite the commerce involved, we hope you will consider this our gift to you. Best wishes"), Christmas isn't something you should spin on December 24 after being stood up by a date; no one needs to feel that bad. But it captures better than most music the emotions of the season.

write your comment