New Music From The Low Anthem

"Oh My God, Charlie Darwin" Offers Mix of Extraordinary Music

Nov 3, 2009

The Low Anthem has released one of the best albums of the year with "Oh My God, Charlie Darwin," a combination of hymnal heights and apocalypic lows.

Although The Low Anthem released their third album, Oh My God, Charlie Darwin in the first half of this year, it deserves special acknowledgement even in November, as this might be the album of the year. Oh My God, Charlie Darwin (OMG,CD) is a varied mix that at times sounds like the drunkest of bar bands, at others sounds like the holiest of choirs. With wrist-slashingly good lyrics, The Low Anthem is the total package.

After hearing the first track on Oh My God, Charlie Darwin (titled “Charlie Darwin) a listener might think he is listening to Enya, only with the most depressing lyrics to ever stem from her pen. Musically, “Charlie Darwin” shimmers like sunlight through a stained glass window, but lyrically it is the soot and smog of our depressing half-lives and eventual destruction.

Following “Charlie Darwin” is one of the best songs of the year, “To Ohio.” This could easily be a track from Paul Simon’s Greatest Hits, a ballad of a man trying to carry on after the premature death of his lover.

From there, OMG, CD runs from barn burners like “The Horizon Is a Beltway” and “Home I’ll Never Be,” to singalongs like “Omgcd.”

Oh My God, Charlie Darwin ends with a second version of “To Ohio.” This one has an interesting drum part in it -- the drummer playing slightly behind the beat. This creates tension and an apocalyptic feel to the track. Actually, the entire album has a sense of impending doom, from the flood in “Charlie Darwin” to the angels and devils of “Champion Angel.”

A Vocal Star Is Born In The Low Anthem’s Ben Knox Miller

Ben Knox Miller’s voice is amazing. The singer for The Low Anthem has developed his voice into three completely different deliveries. There’s the high castrati voice that shows up on songs like “Charlie Darwin.” Then there’s the gravelly wolfman voice from “Home I’ll Never Be” that will bring up comparisons to The Felice Brothers. Finally, there’s his true voice, a gentle tenor that is equally suitable for ballad or rocker.

The Low Anthem On Tour

The Low Anthem is currently on tour supporting OMG, CD. In November they will be touring Southeast America with the band Blind Pilot, ending the month with a few dates in Europe.

December will have them supporting Josh Ritter for a few dates, then ending the year with “WFUV’s Holiday Cheer” in New York City on December 8th. Also playing “WFUV’s Holiday Cheer” are Rosanne Cash and Mike Doughty.

The Low Anthem are an interesting live band. Often on tour they will change their songs around or switch out instruments during a set. It would be interesting to hear what they change around on Oh My God, Charlie Darwin, as an album this perfect is hard to improve on.

The copyright of the article New Music From The Low Anthem in Folk Music is owned by Craig Sanders. Permission to republish New Music From The Low Anthem in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.