Track Listing

1. Golden Ratio
2. Beauty Dies Young
3. Mercury
4. Out Of Reach
5. Back Here Again
6. Counterfeit
7. Never Alone
8. In Amber
9. Open The Airwaves
10. Less I Offer
11. Into The Void

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #62370 in Music
• Released on: 2001-02-12
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
Few debut albums sound as lived-in as Lowgold's Just Backward Of Square, which has a depth of thought, a wealth of experience and an aching that most acts take decades to find. As it is, the four--who sound like they are straight out of America's Midwest but come from Poole, St Albans and South London--got it just-so first time round. By rights, their sombre road movie rock should be both demoralising and depressing; certainly, there's very little to smile about in lyrics like "make the most of today/for beauty dies young" ("Beauty Dies Young") and "my lungs may be bleeding/so I breathe in mercury/decay" ("Mercury"). But there's also a hint of hope and a glint of optimism in Darren Ford's voice as he sings these songs of introspection, and a positive and reassuring power to the dragging guitars and plodding bass. That there is hope in the darkest tunes is where the maturity and magic of Just Backward Of Square lies. It's taken Blur a decade to discover the secret of soul-searching, country-folk-rock, and still they can't hold a candle to this. --Dan Gennoe

Customer Reviews

Just Forward Of Brilliant
It must truly be something of a mystery to Lowgold's record label, Nude. How did a band so pleasantly trumpeted by sections of the music press fail to set even the quiet backstreets of Popville alight?

Their debut release, an EP containing the magical "In Amber", smiled quietly, as it was made Single Of The Week by a certain popular music newspaper. The sublime "Beauty Dies Young" followed almost silently in its footsteps and barely dented the top 40 on its re-release. These are two of the strongest tracks on offer here, but "Mercury" and "Open The Airwaves" lag not far behind. Darren Ford's songs have an emotional sincerity about them, the music bearing a clear touch of Americana.

But beyond Lowgold's keen fans, many of which will have seen them live during a relatively busy 2001, is "Just Backward Of Square" to find many more homes? Unfortunately it seems not. And where Ford and his friends go from here is unclear. This was silently one of the best albums of 2001 and if the second album proves to be as difficult as pop rules dictate, Lowgold may disappear without trace. A shame indeed.

A five star if ever there was one...
It is hard to believe that this is a debut album; from start to finish Just Backward Of The Square has the feel of a confident and accomplished band. And, in fairness, that is what Lowgold are. For me, because that is when I listened to this album in depth, Lowgold mean summer, and when I hear the opening chords of the beautiful Beauty Dies Young it still sends shivers down my spine. With more airplay, songs like that, and like Mercury and Never Alone, could have been huge hits. I still find it hard to believe they weren't. Had they been, Lowgold have the potential on this album to have been catapulted to Coldplay-type stardom. That would probably have saved Nude Records from destruction, and Lowgold from two and a half years of wilderness, but as it is this is a great album to own.

They draw inevitable Coldplay comparisons, and indeed toured with them in 2000. But so does any band who plays music that is even remotely sad. Lowgold are very different to Coldplay. The sound is fuller, and though there is less piano, there is much more clever guitar. This is an album to while away the evening to, it's a grower, it's what you should put on when you want to relax, or when you are feeling upset. But if any of that puts you off, don't let it. This is a truely great album, one that I am sure can have a hundred different effects and purposes. I have a terrible fear that it might go unnoticed for ever...

Rather boring and repetitive!
i was really looking forward to buying this album after hearing the single Mercury and hearing some recommendations of it. However, after listening to it all i was not impressed. Mercury is a fantastic single and there are a couple of others that are quite good but all the rest are just so BORING! try before you buy thats my advice, i only wish i had done.