Low

There was a time when it was easy to predict what an album by Low would sound like, as they followed a fairly consistent template. But they shook things up with 2007's Drums and Guns, a record that further fragmented their already sparse sound, adding some misplaced earnestness. Thankfully, they've taken a step backwards with album number nine. C'mon is an album of contradictions. On the surface, it has everything that Low have done so well in the past, such as glorious vocal harmonies and the kind of tunes that made The Great Destroyer such an excellent album. Yet the delivery is so cold and detached that it's hard to tell if the band are simply going through the motions or creating a counterpoint to the shinier than usual production, provided by Matt Beckley, who's better known for working with Katy Perry and Ke$ha. It does result in their most accessible album, touching upon almost every other point in their career, but the apparent warmth belies its icy soul. While all the right components are present and correct, it doesn't hold together the way it should. Perhaps that is just the contradiction of Low, where it's possible to enjoy C'mon without ever connecting to it emotionally.