“2″ is 89.3 The Current’s CD of the week

The Current, Minnesota Public Radio’s indie music station, has chosen “2″ as its CD of the Week. The weekly pick is given to new members when they donate to the station and also receives a review from one of the station’s DJs. Morning show co-host Steve Seel offered a largely positive review of the album:

…2‘s in-your-face, anthemic classic-rock wallop hits you immediately on the record’s first track and lead single, “Hide It Away,” which may be the most fist-pumping hunk of melodic guitar pop Sparhawk has ever offered up.  You will bow down to its awesome rock awesomeness, and it’s [sic] gorgeous, mile-wide hook will guarantee that you’ll be quite happy all the while you’re doing it.

I have to disagree with at least one of Seel’s points, though: in that, when contrasting Alan Sparhawk’s powerful vocals on “2″ with his previous work with Low, Seel says:

“It’s actually rather funny to be talking about Alan Sparhawk in terms of vocal muscle and assuredness, since part of the appeal in his early performances with Low was precisely his nonchalant lack of those things.”

I don’t doubt Seel knows Low’s music well–he closes the review by stating that “2″ doesn’t live up to early Low records like “Secret Name” or “Long Division,” which I also would disagree with as an unfair comparison–but to characterize Sparhawk’s work with Low as a “nonchalant lack of [vocal muscle and assuredness]” just misses the point entirely.

There is a vast difference between the restrained power of Low and anything akin to “nonchalance.” One of Low’s chief appeals has always been the intensity lurking below the surface of its quiet sound and the tremendous meaning and feeling delivered in each song, primarily through the subtle, but confident, talents of Sparhawk on guitar and microphone.

Nonetheless, if you haven’t purchased “2″ yet and want to, The Current is a great radio station and supporting it and getting a copy of the album is a pretty good bargain.