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[ALBUM REVIEW] The Sword: Low Country

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The Sword – Low Country
Razor & Tie/Cooking Vinyl
Release Date: September 23rd, 2016
Written by: Callum Doig

Last year, The Sword reached high into the countryside with a fresh and altered take on 2015’s High Country record. But this time, the Texan stoner rock quartet have headed into the lower sector by revisiting last year’s High Country record and putting the acoustics to use on two-thirds of their 2015 LP, resulting in the product entitled Low Country.

Throughout the audible journey, Low Country still carries that desert vibe, but it gives off a lot more of a chilled-out and also upbeat aura that accents the acoustic remixes. J.D. Cronise’s vocals from the original recordings of High Country have been shifted into the acoustic interpretations without any changes to his style. Some of the songs that The Sword have been able to interpret such as ‘Seriously Mysterious’, ‘The Dreamthieves’ and ‘Mist & Shadow’ come across as probably, the biggest standouts.

Though it’s considered an acoustic album, it doesn’t technically rule out the use of electric guitars and electronic synth elements, that show up discreetly in later segments of Low Country. Bassist Bryan Richie’s work behind the production and J. Robbins’s work on the mixing both come clean and mingle together fluently, and feels as though that Richie’s role in producing Low Country has helped The Sword create a new, unexplored essence that the quartet may be able to return to in future endeavours.

Overall, The Sword have given off a great first impression in taking a less steps on the electrics and have made the entire voyage feel like a relaxed and sturdy product in itself. The Sword are definitely not the first band to get experimental like this. Some may find their favourite High Country songs difficult to measure up with, but the group have managed to keep their production and recording quality in a very sanitary condition, alongside the process of each track that became reimagined and rejuvenated with a different and intriguing attitude.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2pgVGac29w]

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