The Low Anthem: Smart Flesh – review

The Low Anthem are a quartet from Rhode Island who create dark, beguiling folk-rock, less immediate than the likes of Fleet Foxes but, ultimately, more satisfying. Their last album, Oh My God… , a slow-burner whose virtues eluded this reviewer in 2009, put them on the map. Smart Flesh is a worthy follow-up – slower, quieter and even more beautiful. "Burn" is a terrific centrepiece, aching with regret and the imminence of death. But the big wow here is the sound: the album was recorded in an old factory with mics spaced out across the floor, giving the songs remarkable warmth.