I don't listen to this album enough. Low and The Dirty Three are both bands I've fallen in love with in the last two or three years (The Dirty Three ever since I saw footage of them in the All Tomorrow's Parties film, and Low after hearing their Daytrotter session). I really should play it more. It runs in length somewhere between an EP and an album (not that these are fixed lengths!) so I don't think to put it on when I'm after either album or EP. I also bought it at the same time as a whole bunch of other records, so it got a bit lost in the chaos. That said, it was one of the first ones I listened from them all because I couldn't wait to hear it.
I was on holiday in California with a friend and we had an afternoon free in San Francisco. I'd heard great things about Amoeba Records and had to check it out. It was, and still is, one of the biggest record shops I've ever been in. If Matt hadn't got bored I'd have spent hours in there (on top of the hour we already had spent). You'd always find at least one album you were after in there. I love Banquet as my local, but if I lived near Amoeba I'd be in heaven (I didn't get to check out the other two branches, and my bank balance is pleased). I'm sure I'll rave about it more when I get round to writing about the other albums I got there.
Anyway, I stumbled across this one with an arm already full of vinyl. I'd never heard of the In the Fishtank series, nor that Low and The Dirty Three had collaborated. The text on the sleeve explained everything for me, which reduced my confusion. Being abroad I couldn't crack out the smartphone and read all about it, so I just bought it and saved that for when I got home. They have some cracking looking records, and some awesome collaborations that I really want to hear (the Isis one in particular). I've not seen any of the others in shops since, but will definitely pick up some more in the future.
The two bands work so well together. I love how stripped back Low's sound is usually (I only just got C'Mon after finally seeing them recently and its one of my new favourite albums - it would have made last year's end-of-year list for sure), but The Dirty Three add something lovely to it. Ocean Songs made the top 10 of my favourite albums of the 90's and they're a band that I'm still exploring. I've done a lot of good work whilst listening to them. It would be fascinating to hear them work together with a bit more time. These songs are great but you wonder where they might have been if they had more time. I get that the series captures this brief working period and I think that's great, I'd just love to hear more.
Some songs sound more Dirty Three than Low (Cody) and some the other way (When I Called Upon Your Seed). The Neil Young cover is fantastic with Mimi singing (I don't know the original but I should check it out) and Lordy comes out of nowhere and works so well. I'm really glad I picked this record up (once I saw it there was never any doubt that I would), and I should listen to it more often.
Format: 12"
Tracks: 6
Cost: £6.57
Bought: Amoeba San Francisco
When: 07/09/10
Colour: Black
Etching: none
mp3s: no
