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Do you like your concerts to take place in a venue the size of Mount Olympus? Do you hanker after some serious rock action? Do you prefer your guitars to go all the way up to eleven? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then allow me to deduce one of two things: (a) You are related to Jon Bon Jovi, and my sympathy is with you; or (b) Lowgold are probably not the band for you. 

If you are in the slightest way au fait with the British alternative music scene, then you will already know that the accompanying press likes to make and break new fads--such is their wont. Driven by the belief that they have been appointed as this country’s cultural quality control, music journalists have an annoying habit of cataloguing a band according to the latest witticism, as opposed to the band’s talent. 

By this token, brown may be the new black, and, in the world of music, quiet is the new loud. Frontrunners Coldplay and Starsailor are not afraid to wear their Tim Buckley influences on their album sleeves; they champion soul-searching lyrics, rather than describing how they conquered the ladies. They strum acoustic guitars instead of wielding double-necked axes, as guitars are called in the rock trade. There is not an item of spandex in sight. 

The emphasis here is on melancholia, both in terms of lyrical content and musical tone. Slowly but surely, these groups have been edging their way into the happy clappy British charts. This is most definitely a good thing, as it means that boy bands and other identikit teeny boppers are being pushed out. 

Lowgold are just one of the groups that have been caught up in the jetsam of this trend, and whether you will like them or not hinges on how you answered the three questions I posed at the start of this article. The conundrum is that Lowgold play electric guitars, but that does not mean that they r-a-w-k. They are a quietly moving group who may not write sweeping anthems but do have an ear for a good tune – a rare commodity these days. 

Put simply, Lowgold have two tempos: fast and headless, and slow and building. Suffice to say, the band more frequently pumped for the latter. Their debut album, Just Backward of Square, is a record that leaves you stirred, rather than shaken. It sounds slight at first, but opens up its charms after repeated listens, revealing hidden hooks and fissures of harmony that were previously hidden somewhere below the surface. 

But do Lowgold cut the mustard live? Well, Auntie Annie’s is a perfect venue for their warm, fluid sound. It is about the size of my living room and the ceiling is decked out with strings of fairy lights. While it may be far removed from the dramatics of a stadium gig, it still boasts plenty of charm. As for the songs themselves, they are mostly delivered at the slowly, slowly catch the monkey speed--foot tapping tunes rather then ones to pogo to. 

"Beauty Dies Young" and "Mercury" are the most well-known, and therefore the best received, but thrumming gems "In Amber" and "Open The Airwaves" are full of heartbreak and longing, the very two things that Phil Spector spent his career searching for. 

Lowgold step on the throttle for one tune, the uncharacteristic new single "Counterfeit," which kicks some musical bottom, but this must have tired them out, as the band soon returned to the style to which we had become accustomed. Lowgold are most reminiscent of Pedro The Lion, though they do not share the same Christian beliefs. Despite this, their album is well worth hunting for. You can catch Just Backward of Square on import at Amazon.com. Otherwise, it is doubtful that Lowgold will make it big Stateside. Very few British acts have knocked a small dent in America, let alone made a big impression. It will probably be that you have never have heard of them, but you should have. Lowgold may not set the world on fire, but they do burn a few hearts. Keep your eyes peeled for them, friends.