Drums And Guns - Low
  • Band Name: Low
  • Record Label: Sub Pop
  • Release Date: Mar 20, 2007
Metascore
81 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 33 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 33
  3. Negative: 0 out of 33
view
per page
  1. Stylus Magazine
    91
    It’s still identifiably Low, but richer and more diverse than before.
  2. The A.V. Club
    91
    What seemed like a radical departure two years ago now sounds like a waystation on the journey to this more disjointed, more fragmented, more demanding, and ultimately more rewarding work.
  3. Playlouder
    90
    This is no mere regression into a tried and tested formula for the Duluth trio. Each of these tracks is more than their trademark guitar, bass, drum soundscapes with delicate vocals hovering above the mix.
  4. Tiny Mix Tapes
    90
    It is still more accessible than previous Low records, as The Great Destroyer was, but doesn’t ever compromise the pure sincerity that the trio have conveyed throughout their career.
  5. Boston Globe
    90
    Magnificent.
  6. The Boston Phoenix
    88
    Here the material has the swagger and toughness of loud, sloppy rock.
  7. Lost At Sea
    85
    However early in the voting period we may be, Drums and Guns will undoubtedly go down as one of 2007's strongest albums.
  8. Filter
    82
    The downer record of the year. [#24, p.92]
    All this publication's reviews
  9. Pitchfork
    81
    I doubt Low fans who've held on this long will rebel against these new textures, more the way they're employed-- the band has added an almost disconcerting levity, and subtracted the gentleness.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.2 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 17 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. BobM.
    4
    A huge disappointment. The production sounds like the earliest stereophonic vinyl discs, where instruments and voices were placed at the extremities of the sound stage, leaving a sucked out centre stage. When listening to the tracks, through high quality headphones, music and lyrics take second place to the "arty-farty"electronica. My verdict: remix and Low will have a little masterpiece on their hands.… Full Review »
  2. Kyle
    8
    No weaknesses in this album, pretty solid.
  3. RickH
    8
    After many many listens, on headphones and on a home stereo, I still don't get the point of putting all the vocals in the right channel. And I still don't get some of the things Fridman did on the new CYHSY album either, like basically destroying the first track to the point of being unlistenable. I've had the chance to see Low perform material from Drums and Guns four times now live and within that live context, these songs are some of my favorites. Murder, Sandinista. There is some very very strong material here. But on the album, there's so much bitterness and emptiness, that it's a painful experience. The production takes these songs, which are dark and frought with anxiety and makes them even more sinister by taking out all the warmth that comes across on most Low albums and is ever present during a live show. I'm an advocate of production being an art in itself, but Fridman really puzzles me at this point. He almost seems to sabotage beautiful songs out of spite. I love noise bands, I love experimentalism, I love the avant-garde, but sometimes a song should be given a chance.… Full Review »
See all user reviews »