Things We Lost In the Fire

I've become a fan of Low rather late in their career. About a year and a half ago I heard THE GREAT DESTROYER and was blown away by it, picking it up instantly. Recently I decided I wanted to hear more and after some investigation decided to pick this one up. I have to say that it really is better than the other album I had previously fallen in love with. The pace on this album is ever slower, among the slowest in all of rock, right down there with Galaxie 500 or American Music Club. It is compelling stuff and grows on you the more you listen to it.The songs are just exquisite and despite their slow tempo are often filled with irresistible hooks. I find the duet, for instance, in the intro of "Closer" to be almost painfully beautiful, while "Dinosaur Act" is so lovely it almost qualifies as pop. "Sunflower" kicks the album off and is one of the best cuts on the disc. "Whore" is a bit more subtle than these, but equally gorgeous, and "Like a Forest" is another highlight. I think my favorite cut, however, is probably "Dinosaur Act." Great lyrics and great passion.I can understand someone not liking this. If you only like happy music, or music that employs only fast tempos, this could drive you insane. But while I'm not patient in everything, I'm patient in my music, and I am utterly in love with the slow-tempoed beauties on this.

I just stumbled upon Low in the last few months. I heard a couple of cuts on some compilation albums and really dig what I call "down folk." I next bought this album "Things We Lost in The Fire" while listening to track samples on various low albums. This is a great album all the way through--very cohesive and catchy on my first listen. I proceeded to purchase another ten Low CDs on Amazon and this is still my favorite album of the bunch. To me, Low has their own unique sound but has echoes of a few of my other favorite bands like Radiohead, Red House Painters. a bit of Wilco and a touch of Spacemen 3/Spiritualized. Their DVD "Low in Europe" is great, too.

Once they allowed themselves to break from the limitations of their first three albums, Low put out an excellent 2nd trilogy of albums, which included this one. I give "Secret name" a slight nod over this, but this is excellent as well.

My brother turned me on to this “slow-core” group and I enjoyed it enough to purchase another of their albums.

Some great stuff. Especially wonderful on vinyl.

Bought this for my son since he is a real fan of Low. However, since we had it, I listened to it and really enjoyed it. Now I am a fan of Low as well.

What a lovely album, from the beginning strains of cello to the very last hushed tones. Low has even begun to express a sense of wonder and, gasp, happiness. Rest assured that they will still keep you company on rainy days when it's all gone wrong and even the brighter moments are tinged with melancholy.People who have difficulty with subtlety (Mogwai, whom I like, seems to have quiet moments only to make the loud moments louder...) or well-considered composition will be confused. This is not (bad) music intent on proving itself. This is not a post-rock ensemble of artistes intent on embodying "cool."Those who want the dark, unrelenting tones of "Long Division" will likewise be disappointed, although I think a few listens may win them over. I would ask that anyone listening to a Low album give it a couple of listens over a length of time. I usually immediately dislike a new Low album ("This doesn't sound like Secret Name...") until it begins to sink in and I begin to grasp then crave the turns of phrase or lilt of voice or la la la.Low is not a schtick and with every album they evolve, mature, try new things, and expand their expressive vocabulary. The new album, "Truth," is coming out in late September and when I heard the MP3's on the Kranky website, little one minute samples, I thought, "This is terrible, this isn't 'Things We Lost in the Fire' or 'Secret Name' or 'The Curtain Hits the Cast'" But now I find myself humming the samples, listening to them in anticipation.

At their best, Low puts out wonderful music to listen to while resting lazily in the backyard in a hazy heat. The songs tend to be slow, gentle and bittersweet, sometimes slightly folksy, sometimes early rock (evoking images of broken-hearted girls in pink poodle skirts), sometimes almost lullaby. Many of their tunes would be well at home on a Twin Peaks soundtrack beside Badalementi's compositions.Unfortunately, while the quiet repetitiveness of some of their songs is effective at helping the listener feel calm, meditative and introspective and helps to drive home the mood, some songs (e.g. Whitetail) are so glaringly repetitive that they become little more than annoying after 1 minute. However, there are songs such as Like a Forest, with its beautiful swelling of string instruments, that are true emotional masterpieces.Many of the songs leave this album deserving of a 5 star rating, but I do find it necessary to always program the cd player to skip a few of them leaving it slightly short of a perfect rating.

I have to confess, I'd only ever really got as far as their Christmas EP before, and so I decided it was about time I pushed the boat out and leapt forth into their extensive back catalogue. I can't remember what it was: a half-remembered good review from the magazines of the time; the evocative title; the article I read about the new album in Uncut magazine- or a combination of all things that lead me to this particular album. And what a starting point it has proved to be.From the moment "Sunflower" kicks in you know what you're in for. It's downbeat but it's sumptuous. It's soaring and majestic. It's delicate and yet it packs a punch, and this continues throughout the album. They're something else- folky, ballsy, mellow, melancholy, tight and beautiful. This really is easily amongst some of the most impressive music I've ever heard, and there's not a bad track on it.So why only 4 and not 5 stars? Because it's one of those ALBUM, albums. The music leaves an impression that is almost totally ephemeral, it all fits together like a jigsaw puzzle and you don't really want to listen to the tracks on their own in the main. In other words it's a contemplative and demanding listen; the 'derogatory' term would be soundtrack-music. Yes there are stand-out tracks but if you don't listen to the thing as a whole, you feel like you're not getting the whole story.But this is a minor 'failing'. Some albums are just like that- and we're all the better for it.Favourite tracks: "Sunflower", "Medicine Magazines", "Closer" and the strangely beautiful "Whore".What more can I say except that you really need to go out and buy this album? If you appreciate music, you will love this album.

A classic, by a band that were being written off by journalists just after this came out but still can do no wrong !! :-)

A near-perfect album, with songs building slowly, slowly into a (dare I say it?) subdued frenzy. We have given up hoping for major drama since a few albums back, and building on that foundation - or perhaps it should be called 'axiom' - we are in for a major treat.

Low are good - very good!

excellent