ALBUM REVIEW: Low Measure’s Self-Titled Album
“...a no-frills slacker rock spectacle that defied all of my expectations and brought the proper feel, down to the laid back imperfections in their recordings.”
With all of the nostalgia for the ‘90s, some of us always eagerly await for our indie rock heroes of old to release a new album or come to the area. What a treat it was to come across Albany-based Low Measure’s self-titled debut album, a no-frills slacker rock spectacle that defied all of my expectations and brought the proper feel, down to the laid back imperfections in their recordings.
Starting things off with the aptly titled “Welcome,” a 40-second budget brand sounding organ intro that immediately sets the slacker rock vibe nicely, Low Measure jumps into the action with “Groundbreaking Unsurprising News.” Starting off innocuously enough, with some charming clean guitars, it suddenly jumps into big power chords and our introduction to vocals, which acts as both the verse and chorus. Song form be damned, this is an early measure of the band playing by their own rules.
Next is “Ptooey,” which opens with a driving progression on guitar only and immediately grows to the full band with an almost hypnotic vocal in the way it follows along with the music, before turning into a big melodic, fuzzy guitar solo over big washy cymbals and ripping chords. This is followed by major highlights of the album, “Wind” and “Moving.” These tracks could easily be put alongside more well known bands of the genre, and you’d just assume they were contemporaries. They are extremely well written songs that show off the potential of the band.
From here, we get to the next couple of tracks, “Julia’s Stump” and “Keep Warm,” which offer up some nice indie rock vibes and some excellent moments between them both, acting like a bridge that gets the listener to “Nowhere to Be.” This track is a complete departure from the rest of the album, offering a chance to hear something a little more reflective and vulnerable. It has a cowboy feel, which is amplified by some harmonica provided by none other than Joe Taurone of Tummy Rub Records and a dozen or so local bands, who also recorded and mixed the record.
The final track, “Glue Rag,” is a mostly instrumental that stays in the cowboy chord realm while ramping things up nicely with a steady snare-kick beat that makes it feel like a slacker rock hoedown. It's a nice bookend to a really solid album that serves the genre well, and provides an excellent jumping off point for the band. If you’re into this kind of music, this is an album worthy of your attention.
Low Measure’s debut album is available now, and can be purchased directly from the band on their Bandcamp page.