When I first heard "Charlie Darwin," the opening track on The Low Anthem's "Oh My God, Charlie Darwin" disc, I thought for sure I was hearing Great Lake Swimmers.
After that first atmospheric, emotive, falsetto acoustic track, the Rhode Island quartet's Nonesuch Records debut casts a wider net, drawing on folk (hints of Dylan), rock (a dash of Springsteen), blues and other styles to create something all its own.
You can't call it alt.country, and you can't call it new folk; nor is it strictly rock and roll.
Whatever you call it, it works. "Oh My God, Charlie Darwin" is one of the best records of 2009. You don't have to take my word for it. Everyone from The New York Times to NPR's Bob Boilen and Milwaukee's own Muzzle of Bees ranked it in the top 10 CDs of the year. And its life appears to only be just beginning.
When this week's Milwaukee show -- Saturday, March 6 at the Riverside supporting The Avett Brothers -- was first booked, it was slated for Turner Hall Ballroom. But due in part to the Avetts, but certainly in part to The Low Anthem's growing momentum, the gig was moved to the Riverside to meet demand for tickets.
Packaged in an organic-looking screen printed digipak, "Oh My God, Charlie Darwin" -- the band's second disc, following 2007's "What the Crow Brings" -- looks as understated as it sounds. And the beauty lies in that understatement, that careful attention to detail.
My
co-worker Drew Olson saw the band live in Boston last month and came
back raving, so I heartily encourage you to get on board now and see
The Low Anthem this week. Show time is 8 p.m. and general admission
tickets are $25. -- Bobby Tanzilo
After creating a firestorm of controversy by using the "n word" during a recent Playboy interview, John Mayer has been keeping his mouth shut and letting his guitar do the talking. That's a pretty good strategy. Even people who can't stand his interviews, tweets and string of celebrity girlfriends admit that the guy is a brilliant player. Mayer, who is on the road through June, stops at the Bradley Center on Monday night. -- Drew Olson
As the signature voice behind indie band The Magnetic Fields, Stephin Merritt weaves dramatic, romantic, bleak and, at times, hilarious vignettes with poppy, resonating melodies. The results are wildly catchy without being annoying in the slightest. The band stole our hearts a decade ago with "69 Love Songs" (although it was hardly the band's debut) and has held its tight grip ever since, following up with three equally asintriguing releases. Merritt and his band mates make their way to The Pabst Theater this Thursday, March 4 and you can be sure you'll hear the best and brightest from "Realism," released in January on Nonesuch Records. Tickets are $25. -- Julie Lawrence
Old 97's frontman Rhett Miller launched a solo career back in 2002 with the release of "The Instigator," but he solidified his (and his fans) affinity for straight-forward pop with his self-titled album last year. Since then, he joined the long list of musicians (everyone from James Brown to Cher to Nick Cave) to record a cover version of Bobby Hebb's "Sunny," with a release last month. Miller comes to Shank Hall this Friday with Mike Benign opening. Show starts at 8 p.m., tickets are $20. -- Maureen Post
