The Great Destroyer is the seventh studio album by American indie rock band Low. It was released on January 25, 2005, as their first recording on Sub Pop Records.[1]
"California", a song about Sparhawk's mother, was released as the album's first single, backed with a demo of "Cue the Strings".[2] A remix EP of "Monkey", entitled "Tonight the Monkeys Die", soon followed.[3] Music videos were created for both.[2][3]
The title of the album (as well as the song "Silver Rider") is taken from the story within the album art.[4]
According to the review aggregator Metacritic, The Great Destroyer received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 82 out of 100 from 34 critic scores. The site named it the 46th-best reviewed album of 2005.[5]
Reviewers praised the album for its unexpected energy and departure from the band’s earlier minimalist style. For instance, Neumu.net rated it 95/100, stating the band “still retain a unique identity even as they plunder and explore more generic alt‑rock themes”.Similarly, No Ripcord called it “stunningly good”.[15]
The Guardian described it as: “When The Great Destroyer rocks, it rocks with passion, rigour and an unmistakable but enormously dignified rage.”[16]
On the other hand, some critics were less enthusiastic. For example, the review by Pitchfork gave it a more mixed assessment, criticizing tracks such as “Everybody’s Song” for straying from the band’s strengths and calling parts of the album a “big ball of racket”.[17]
Despite the mixed takes, the consensus leaned positive, with many observers noting that the album marked a bold reinvention for the band and broadened their sonic palette while retaining key elements of their identity.
Track listing
All songs written by Mimi Parker, Zak Sally, and Alan Sparhawk
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