Over the course of their career,
Low
's glacially beautiful music has gradually melted into something much more accessible and intimate. The thaw culminates on
Things We Lost in the Fire
; despite its brooding title, it's the group's loveliest, most approachable collection of songs yet. Voluptuous strings, softly fuzzy guitars, and propulsive percussion suffuse songs like the sweetly melancholy opener
"Sunflower"
and the slo-mo pop of
"Dinosaur Act"
and
"July"
with a warmth and direction that
's best work has always hinted at. Even the album's darkest moments, such as the tense, implosive
"Whitetail,"
have more emotional urgency, heightened by
Alan
Mimi
's close, brooding harmonies. Yet
's airy solo on the spare, undulating
"Laser Beam"
is equally spine tingling.
also features more of
's understated stylistic experiments: The slightly jazzy harmonies and tempo of
"Medicine Magazines"
add a bit of swing to the group's usually steady rhythms, while
"Kind of Girl"
delves into earthy yet ethereal chamber folk. Breathtakingly gorgeous moments, such as
"Like a Forest"
's pealing strings and poignant melody, and
"Whore"
's build from delicate harmonies into a gently triumphant swell of guitars, vocals, and sparkling percussion reaffirm that
have perfected and refined their sound. The finale,
"In Metal,"
evolves from a melancholy ballad into one of the group's sunniest, most kinetic songs, mirroring the overall transformation of their music. A perfect match for its late-winter release date,
's slowly rising warmth and subtly hopeful tone not only make this
's most cohesive, compelling collection, but one of 2001's best albums. ~ Heather Phares