Name: From Squats To Lots: The Agony And XTC Of Low Life
Brand: Low Life

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

ALT66

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Colour

Green

Colour details

Transparent Lime

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Discogs ID

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Housed in Gatefold Sleeve with Poster and 16 Page Booklet.

Format Music GB

Limited edition

Release date

2021-11-05

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier GB

Cargo

Tax rate GB

Standard:20

UPC / Barcode

0768114914650

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Total Cap

1 / Extended format: No / LP / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No / green

ALT66CD

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With 16 Page Booklet.

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0768114914667

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1 / CD / Extended format: No / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No

Artist

Low Life

Genre GB

Alternative / Modern

Label GB

Alter

Alter is a London-based music label that was founded in January 2010 by Luke Younger of Helm. With a focus on experimental and avant-garde music, Alter has quickly gained recognition for its unique roster of artists and innovative releases.

As an independent label, Alter prides itself on pushing boundaries and challenging traditional notions of sound. The label's diverse range of artists includes both established musicians and emerging talents, all united by their commitment to artistic exploration.

Distributed in the UK by Cargo Records, Alter continues to make waves in the music industry with its thought-provoking releases. Whether you're a seasoned fan or new to the world of experimental music, Alter offers a captivating listening experience that will leave you inspired and wanting more.

Low Life is an artist known for their unique blend of post-punk and garage rock. Hailing from Sydney, Australia, *Low Life* has been making waves in the music scene with their raw and energetic sound. Drawing inspiration from bands like DIÄT and Iceage, *Low Life* creates music that is both gritty and melodic.

With a discography that includes albums such as "Dogging" and "Downer Edn," *Low Life* has garnered critical acclaim for their introspective lyrics and infectious hooks. Their songs tackle themes of disillusionment, isolation, and the struggles of everyday life.

*Low Life's* live performances are a force to be reckoned with. Known for their high-energy shows, they captivate audiences with their intense stage presence and powerful delivery. They have shared the stage with notable acts such as B Boys, Crack Cloud, and Gold Class.

THE BAND: Low Life are a rock band from Sydney, Australia. THE RECORD: Low Life’s 3rd LP is called From Squats to Lots: The Agony and the XTC of Low Life. NOTES ON HOW TO LISTEN TO AGONY AND XTC OF LOW LIFE: 1. Some records hit you with an instant impression of timeless brilliance, and Low Life’s Dogging is one of those records, what the wise call “an instant classic”. 2. From Squats to Lots: The Agony and the XTC of Low Life is more like their second album Downer Edn (read Edition), a little more withdrawn, a little more textured. Complex. Rich. Which is to say: you’re going to need some time with it. 3. Some show, some grow. Low Life have done both. This one is a grower. Spend some time with this one. It’s got that nuanced flavour. Don’t guzzle. Sip. Savour. 4. Sip it, and sense the recurring brilliance of Mitch Tolman’s lyrics, exploring the usual territory of gutter life, lad life, punk life, low life. The dirge. Disgust and shame in white Australia. Council housing, bills piled to the neck, substance abuse and rehabilitation, the fallen lads and lasses who stood too close to the flame, loss and loneliness, from squats to lots. Un-Australian gutter symphony. 5. There is a celebration of resilience and that’s a central theme of this record and a time like ours needs a record like Agony &amp; XTC. Low times are coming through, but if you’re low they won’t get to you. 6. Iggy Pop’s Bowie produced studio rock masterpieces ‘The Idiot’ and ‘Lust For Life’ are important reference points to the 3rd album sounds of Low Life. Here comes success! 7. ‘The Agony and Ecstasy’ is a 1985 novel by Irving Stone about the life of Italian Renaissance painter Michelangelo. Stone wrote another novel about the single eared painter Vincent Van Gogh called ‘Lust For Life’. This synchronicity hit me. 8. Iggy and the Stooges are a pretty safe reference for Low Life (and all good rock music). Iggy and the Stooges are a low life’s Michelangelo, but solo Iggy like Lust for Life is a better reference for this particular incarnation of Low Life, which is to say they are studio rock albums. 9. Bowie later referred to this period of his life as profoundly nihilistic. But Iggy looked at it as the period of his life that saved him from an early grave. This confrontation is Low life lore. 10. Let’s stick to this, because there’s something about this era of Bowie that makes sense with Low Life’s new album, particularly Low. One should never miss the Low in our new album from Low Life. Producer and studio boss Mickey Grossman has the ear for the Low, and he has carved out a little statue of David right here. 11. Mickey’s ears are recording, mixing and producing the best of Sydney, most notably the Oily Boys Cro Memory Grin. A great companion record to this one. Use Agony &amp; XTC AFTER Oily Boys. Not on an empty stomach, and don’t try to operate heavy machinery (bobcat, bulldozer etc). 12. The relationship between Low Life and Sydney hardcore should not be understated, but it also shouldn’t guide how to listen to Agony &amp; XTC. This is not austere, disciplined music. 13. Think, like, if Poison Idea were given the kind of studio time and budget as Happy Mondays. You wouldn’t play it to a teenager. It’s not for children. This is a mature flavour, one for the adults who have had to contend with failure and hardship, medical bills and disappointed family members, betrayed lovers and worrisome growths, police brutality and tooth decay, humiliating bowels and collapsed septums, detoxing and drying out, for those who have seen themselves as corrupted and putrid and unloveable, for those who endure all of this and aren’t willing to lie down and cop it sweet: Low Life are still here and they ain’t going nowhere. NOTES ON HOW NOT TO LISTEN TO AGONY AND XTC OF LOW LIFE: 1. Don’t think of shoe-gaze. It suggests a safe passage to 90’s reminiscences, a vogue style of our time, but nothing to do with Low Life style. Low Life style is always of its time. The content changes. &lt;in the 1800s Low life swept chimneys. Today Low Life works in call centres.&gt; Agony &amp; XTC shares weight of records like My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless and Slowdive’s Kebab, records that were laboured on after the songs were recorded, songs that were written as they were recorded. 2. We can call these “studio albums” as opposed to albums built in the heat of live performance. Studio albums from the 90’s are called shoe-gaze by some journalist nerds, but we know better than to use words like this. 3. Studio albums are excessive and, at the same time, so empty. Agony and XTC, Loveless, Kebab, Rumours: excessive! And empty. This is not to suggest this is Low Lite, some throwback, soft. A band like Low Life can make an overproduced studio rock album without having to use the word shoe-gaze. So, don’t think studio albums mean anything especially 90’s. Don’t look back. 4. Let’s lose these distasteful labels, like “shoe-gaze”, “rehab rock”, “stab”, “guitar OD overdrive”, “western Sydney wonder”. They can fade out. A low life was once referred to as a vagabond. Who uses this term today? Nobody. Language can murder. Words can die. Kill ‘em all! - Daniel 'DX' Stewart, Melbourne, 2021.

From Squats To Lots: The Agony And XTC Of Low Life

Music GB