Low Review

Low by Grant Brown is a thematically interesting country-pop anthem that captures the joy and fear of committing to someone in love through an excellent vocal performance courtesy of Brown.

The vocals convey a complex balance of emotions. Singing directly to their partner, the speaker exudes confidence and excitement but deep vulnerability at the same time. You get the sense through the delivery that although they know they want things to be more than “skin deep,” they are scared of being entirely vulnerable to someone else. The emotion spills out of the high end of his register, wavering through the uncertainty. At the same time, there is a sense of confidence in the bold cadence of his delivery. The balance between these two moments makes the track a cathartic listening experience. Also, from a technical perspective, the vocals have fantastic range and pitch while showing off superb breath control.

The track also subtly uses a variety of instruments. When the instrumental swells, you can hear brass and strings. They add great depth and texture that shocked me on a first listen. I appreciate their gentle usage throughout. It shows the nuance and sophistication of Jacob Frish's production style.

The lyrics are generally very articulate. However, Low has a few points that could have been explored more creatively. Certain moments provide catharsis and emotional payoff or intrigue and uncertainty. The motif of nobody knowing about their love is an excellent example. It left me wondering why, which really works for the subtle line the song takes on commitment and romance. However, the concept that their love is deeper than tattoos because it is not skin deep ironically felt very surface level. It detracted from some of the excellent narrative storytelling the track pulls off.

The line only stood out to me because of the excellent lyricism and emotional clarity in the rest of the song. Overall, Low impressed me with its subtlety, both thematically and sonically. The track allows Brown to show off some excellent vocals and connects it with an emotionally complex narrative.