This week we’ve got triple the treat and none of the tricks for you with 3 new releases all out of the Pacific Northwest. We’re starting things off with Portland’s The Low Twelve, whose sophomore release 12:02 is out now.
The Low Twelve takes its name from an old Masonic term meaning “Twelve Midnight” – an hour many considered to be full of dark omens. The music on their sophomore album, the ambitious 12:02, does indeed evoke an atmosphere of midnight mystery befitting the name, but there is plenty of wild fun to be had on this album as well. Moody opener “Turn out the Lights” invites you in with its darkly psychedelic drone comprised of didgeridoo, sitar, tablas, and organs, and just as the listener is fully hypnotized the song kicks into a more upbeat garage rock feel. It’s indicative of things to come – a perfect introduction to this album, and this band.
The Low Twelve pull off a sound that successfully hearkens back to the golden era of rock music – the late 60’s and early 70’s – with an expert level of musicianship on par with the earliest innovators of progressive rock. It’s a classic fusion of psychedelic, garage and a touch of prog that just works. The production on this disc is polished, but not distractingly so. The production always serves the song, something I always appreciate. 12:02 may be an elaborate production, but at the heart of this album is a tight rock band playing together in the studio.
The vocals can sometimes take a backseat to instrumental adventures on this disc, but even as a big fan of mostly vocally driven music, I don’t mind. This is a band that can go on some extended musical breaks without losing the listener’s interest, particularly on “Intertwined” which features some fiery organ solos from Bob Fountain and impressive jazz drumming from Adam Bayer (formerly known as Augie Wilson from his time with the band Mooney Suzuki). The song “Emerald Green” obscures the vocal in a swirl of rotary speaker effects, and it’s a delightfully psychedelic experience. Drifting from 4/4 to 3/4 seamlessly and featuring a Japanese electric Taishogoto, this song throws you from one pace and mood into another repeatedly without losing its way. In “Won’t You Relate” the vocal is simply there as another instrument – introducing the concept of the song and then letting the instruments do the rest of the talking. In lesser hands, this kind of thing would feel like a messy “jam session” but its clear throughout this record that these instrumental passages are tightly structured and well thought-out, and the result is hypnotic, ambitious, and impressive.
The more vocally driven songs on the album, like the excellent hard-driving rocker “Consecration” and the groovy “Close My Eyes” bring some pop hooks to the table and make this a well-balanced endeavor. It’s an accessible album that also brings a great deal of musical depth.
The album closes with the same evocative, midnight drone that it begins with, turning the album into a song cycle that pretty much demands repeat listens. Five years in the making, 12:02 is an album well worth the wait.
Follow the band:
https://thelow12.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/thelow12/
Written by Jonathan Moore, guest contributor for POW Magazine
