I have seen The Low Anthem many times over the past year and while they are always great, Tuesdays show was on a different level. I stood in shock, completely captivated by songs both old and new - this is a special band, and they seem to be hitting their stride.
The Low Anthem have come a long way (literally) since they last played the Paradise, when they played to a half-empty club in support of Blind Pilot last November. Shortly after that show they embarked for London to play to a national audience on Jool's Holland. In the months since, they have opened for Josh Ritter and The Avett Brothers, toured both sides of the Atlantic as headliners and holed up in a former pasta sauce factory to record their hightly-anticipated follow-up to 2009's Oh My God, Charlie Darwin. Now they've returned to the road to test out the new songs. As the band huddled around a single mic in the center of the stage on Tuesday night, I couldn't help but draw comparisons to Neil Young at Massey Hall in 1971 playing unknown classics to an awestruck audience.
As Ben Knox Miller's lyrics tumbled from the stage they were completely new, yet felt somehow familiar. The new songs seemed more personal than the timeless parables that comprised Charlie Darwin. The arrangements and delivery were both measured yet felt off-the-cuff, and nothing distracted from the songs. The older songs were played with confidence, fleshed by multi-instrumentalist Mat Davidson - the newest addition to the band. The set was well-paced - folk songs were punctuated by electric blues romps, new songs intermingled with old favorites and everything flowed perfectly. This is a band that seems in complete control; I'm grateful to have followed their arc, and I'm excited to see what comes next.
Full soundboard recording of the Paradise show is available for stream and download. Sound is pristine - thanks to taper Steve Legare, the sound guy at the Paradise and, of course, The Low Anthem for making this fantastic recording possible. Enjoy, and please support the band by visiting their site and buying their music
The Low Anthem
Paradise Rock Club - Boston MA
April 20, 2010
Cage The Songbird
Ticket Taker
[thanks]
Sally Where'd You Get Your Liquor From *
To The Ghosts Who Write History Books
Apothecary
Ghost Woman Blues
Charlie Darwin
Home I'll Never Be **
Cigarettes, Whiskey & Wild, Wild Women ^
Maybe So
This God Damn House
Don't Let Nobody Turn You Around %
Ain't No More Cane %
Dreams Can't Chase You Down
Ohio
Love And Altar
I'll Take Out Your Ashes
* - Rev. Gary Davis
** - Jack Kerouac
^ - Jim Croce
% - Traditional
Full set downloads: mp3 zip (new link) | FLAC zip (362MB)
The Low Anthem are back in the area this summer for the Green River and Newport Folk festivals
Monday, May 24, 2010 at 10:58PM 
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