The Low Anthem is the subject of an extensive article in BlackBook magazine that examines the group's recent Nonesuch debut, Oh My God, Charlie Darwin, and its ties to its titular English scientist's theory of natural selection. “Darwin and this idea of survival of the fittest is an illuminating way of thinking about almost any question," says the band's Ben Knox-Miller. "[T]he guy is in love with every little detail of the world ... It’s a beautiful, inspiring story." BlackBook calls the band's own efforts "a winning formula." Q magazine names "To Ohio" its Track of the Day. Aquarium Drunkard says the band "offers glimpses into the past, present and future like a great American novel."
The Low Anthem is the subject of an extensive article in BlackBook magazine that examines the group's recent Nonesuch debut, Oh My God, Charlie Darwin, and its ties to its titular English scientist's theory of natural selection. The band's Ben Knox Miller and Jeff Prystowsky spoke with BlackBook's Carolyn Gregoire shortly before taking the stage at New York's Bowery Ballroom last month for a performance celebrating the album's release.
“Darwin and this idea of survival of the fittest is an illuminating way of thinking about almost any question," Knox-Miller tells BlackBook. "[T]he guy is in love with every little detail of the world. He’s fascinated with studying things that were taken for granted for so long and willing to rewrite the foundation of how we look at the natural world around us. It’s a beautiful, inspiring story."
As for the band's efforts in telling their own version of that story through music, Gregoire concludes, "Clearly, it’s a winning formula." She singles out the album track "Ticket Taker" as a band favorite and reports: "The moving, hymnal melody ... transfixed the crowd during their Monday night performance at the Bowery Ballroom."
Read the article at blackbookmag.com.
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Q magazine named "To Ohio" off Oh My God, Charlie Darwin, yesterday's Track of the Day. Q editor Paul Rees recommends the track for "playing host as it does to their calling cards—arcane instrumentation, evocative lyrics, and a sense of melody that hangs like mist in the air. For those who’ve already fallen for Fleet Foxes, but also have a love of all things Wilco or Tom Waits, The Low Anthem might just be your new favourite band." Read more at news.q4music.com.
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The band is currently on tour in Europe, performing at Berlin's Bang Bang Club tonight. Knox-Miller discussed the new record with the L.A. music blog Aquarium Drunkard while on the road in Germany.
"The Low Anthem," says contributor Mik Davis, "have provided the summer of 2009 with music that, while purposefully anachronistic, offers glimpses into the past, present and future like a great American novel." The band, says Davis, "actually sees the music of the future as far more intimate. However, their music should not be viewed reductively as simply a new branch of folk music—it is, instead, more natural."
Read the interview at aquariumdrunkard.com.
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