ALEXANDER SMITH reckons the American band have been a highlight of the summer.

HAVING been added to Bella Union’s near bullet-proof roster in 2009, Providence four-piece The Low Anthem promptly re-released their second album, Oh My God, Charlie Darwin, to a blizzard of critical acclaim and gushing live reviews across the board; and with this momentum being more than maintained into 2010, expectations were suitably high for their visit to the Highland Capital.

They opened with an extended double bass intro which meandered into a thumping ’Don’t Let Nobody Turn You Around’, with Ben Knox Miller blistering with a throaty bark which instantly cut the room to pieces; and from here in, it was quite simply one of the highlights of the summer.

They delivered a set which was a grand sweep across the history of American roots music with an authenticity and sincerity which was at once reassuringly familiar and utterly fresh and relevant; and although this had the capacity to become hackneyed and tired, in these hands, it was executed beautifully.

They made no attempt to reshape or veer from tradition, and paradoxically, it’s exactly this which makes them so bright; trend was refreshingly eschewed across the board, from image to content, and they let their strength of material and potency of delivery sit at the vanguard throughout; and this material, at times, was simply awesome.

Across the set, they changed instruments continually, yet impressively, retained aesthetic coherence seamlessly. Whether it was huddled around one mic on the gently hymnal ‘To Ohio’ and the delicately unsettling ‘Ticket Taker, or cutting loose on barn-storming raw country rock’n’rollers like ‘The Horizon is a Beltway’, they remained utterly compelling, fervent and on several occasions, enormously moving indeed.

One of the most affecting tracks of the evening was a cover of The Reverend Gary Davis’s ‘Sally, Where’d You Get Your Liquor From’, which was presented as a bleak and mesmerising Appalachian hymn. Another particular high-point was ‘This God Damn House’, which stung through the somnolence of the delivery with a trembling emotional weight which was genuinely touching.

Whether sitting lucidly in higher registers or grizzly and muscular, Knox Miller’s voice was extraordinary – powerful, controlled, versatile and original, while always retaining a familiar purity. The general musicianship and vocal harmonies remained outstanding throughout.

They are in a pool of fine American acts who have broken through in recent years, Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes to name just two. All three are some way from being mentioned in the same breath as, say, Wilco, The Replacements or American Music Club; however, The Low Anthem are a very, very special band indeed, and it’s not often that the highlight of a performance is quite literally all of it.

Well worth a mention was support act and label-mates Mountain Man, who delivered a set of sublime Appalachian folk songs. The Vermont-based trio performed virtually a cappella, with only occasional sparse guitar lines for accompaniment and their impeccable three-part harmonies were consistently striking. Despite appearing to clash with a little audience restlessness towards the end, they remained interesting and absorbing throughout.

Tonight’s show illustrated the importance of Beyond’s off-festival efforts to local music consumers and it was great to see such a high-calibre act this far north. And with the excellent Kassidy scheduled here next month, let’s hope this fitting venue sees many more nights like this.

© Alexander Smith, 2010

Links

• The Low Anthem