more on the Zak Sally cd..

The Zak Sally cd has arrived from the States and I have to say it is one of the nicest handmade cds I have yet seen. Well worth getting if you are a fan of Zak (or were a fan of Low-era Zak), the cds are all signed and numbered.

More on the actual music soon, along with the new Twilight Sad cd and the Noah and The Whale album (which I have to say is stunning).

Zak Sally's Fear of Song - first listen

Zak's album is now available to buy via his website http://lamano21.com/

Also on the site is a quite brilliant description of the record, written by the man himself. The album is completely handmade, signed and numbered and will be posted out by Zak..the whole thing is a one man project. He instructs anyone wanting to review the record to buy the $7 download as "i'm probably broker than you are". So I did that, with the intention of ordering the record too (unless I completely hated it, which of course I don't)and I've now done that.

I'll write a proper review of this when I get the physical version, when someone has put so much effort into the whole thing, it seems a shame to review a $7 download. Anyway, this isn't the sort of record that you can really gives marks out of ten to, that would defeat the whole concept.

'Fear of Song' is a quite marvellous thing. Anyone who loved the part played in Low will want to hear this. It is a set of spontaneous, honest, big-hearted pieces of music. Not polished, not lush, not pretty but raw and true. I was expected a louder more aggressive record but am pleased at the mix of fiery, feedback drenched rockers and acoustic laments.

Buy this. It is possibly the least cynical and least calculated release of the year. One man in a room opening his heart and making some music from nothing. Great stuff.

Single of the Week...

Firstly, a quick word for the England cricket selectors..... "Beg Marcus Trescothick to return"...

Secondly, this week's single of the week is...

Zak Sally 'Why We Hide'

Loving this single. Zak describes it best himself when he says it is the sound of "one man clanging". It is also noisy, discordant, ramshakle but also strangely tuneful and catchy. It has some nice hand-claps midway through, which remind me of Zak's attempts to encourage audience participation when Low played 'La La La Song'. It is what you'd expect really, three minutes of U.S alt.rock noise. You get the impression from this that Zak had a lot to do with Low's 'The Great Destroyer'.

It is out now on pink vinyl from Subpop, you get a download voucher with the vinyl (or at least, I did).

The album is due out round about now on Zak's own label, although as yet there is no link to buy it on his website.

Zak Sally returns with single and LP

Former Low bassist Zak Sally returns with a new single and LP in the next couple of weeks.

Zak was always the star of Low as far as I was concerned and I enjoyed 'My Secret World', the song that he made available last year as a preview of the album to come. The LP is 'Fear Of Song', the title apparently references Sally's dilemma over whether to continue to make music after the Low split. It will be self-released, I understand but the first single 'Why We Hide' is out on 7" only via Sub Pop next week. Incidentally the b-side is the superbly titled 'When I Said I Missed You I Just Meant My Aim Was Off (The Quiet Life)'.

More news about the release-specifics of 'Fear Of Song' when I get it...

Zak Sally 'My Secret World'

If you'd asked TracksandGigs to make a list of people we were least expecting to hear new music from, Zak Sally (formerly of Low) would be fairly high on the list. As far as I was aware Zak had basically quit music after leaving the Duluth slowcore legends and was concentrating on acting and producing his comic books.

No.

He's Back! Zak was always my favourite in Low. He made gigs so exciting with his handclaps, out of tune backing vocals, amusing remarks which would often make Alan and Mimi look faintly disgusted and the fact that he wore the same red shirt every gig (or seemed to). Zak was great and Low have quite simply not been the same since.

But, now Zak seems to be embarking on a solo career and has made 'My Secret World', the first track from an album called 'Fear Of Song', available. Those Low fans who heard Zak singing on 'I Love...' may have reservations but while Zak is no Russell Watson, his voice has....character. As does this song. 'My Secret World' is an exciting and unusual ride. Over industrial sounding drums and symbols and electric guitars playing apparently random chords, Zak sings in a laid back manner full of pauses and runover sentences. The lyrics are fascinating. For example...."All I wanted was to find my....spot", sung with some passion and "your nose bled every time they hit that.....note". Its a song about trying to find your own place and not follow the rules and beliefs of others. Hmmmmmm.

And TracksandGigs can declare, in all seriousness, that it is a far more exciting and interesting song than anything Low have produced since Zak left.

You can listen here ... http://downloads.pitchforkmedia.com/Zak%20Sally%20-%20My%20Secret%20World.mp3

Album coming soon, we hope.

There is absolutely loads of new stuff released on Monday, including LPs from Twilight Sad, Fleet Foxes, She and Him, Sleeping Years and (deep breath) My Morning Jacket. Why do they have to all come at once like this?? We hope to have reviews of at least some, over the weekend.