As I told The Brought Low bassist/backing vocalist Bob Russell while we waited outside guitarist/vocalist Ben Smith’s work for him to come down with a suggestion as to where to go to lunch and conduct this interview today (March 2, 2010), and as I’ve said on multiple occasions prior, every time I come to Midtown Manhattan, I swear it’s going to be the last time I ever do it. Sure enough, though, there’s always something to bring me back.

This time, it’s The Brought Low’s Third Record (review here), the band’s first offering in five years since they made their Small Stone Records label debut with Right on Time. An entirely unpretentious and confident collection of songs, it was easily worth the drive into the city to discuss with Smith and Russell the process of making the album with producer Andrew Schneider (Throttlerod, Puny Human, etc.), and as we went to dine at Cafe Edison — located in the hotel on Broadway of the same name — the environment reminded me of something straight out of a New York movie, one of those scenes where intimacy is somehow managed in one of the planet’s most crowded spots. For the record, Smith credits his father with showing him how to navigate Midtown.

Likewise, both Smith and Russell agree that a good portion of Third Record’s natural, organic sound comes from Schneider’s work behind the board, but neither discounts their comfort in the trio lineup of the band — rounded out by drummer Nick Heller — as a factor in the positive results. Over our shared meal, there was a lot of joking and a lot of lighthearted sarcasm (one of the charms of The Brought Low has always been their self-deprecating sense of humor), but it’s no question that the band is passionate and serious about what they’re doing and how far they’ve come in their decade of existence.

After the jump, Smith and Russell discuss making Third Record, their plans surrounding South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, and, of course, how every other band is jive and The Brought Low kicks ass. It’s a given. Enjoy the interview.

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What New York City rockers The Brought Low have always managed to do best is get right to the point, and on their latest offering, the appropriately titled Third Album (Small Stone), the trio make it known right away that they’re open for business. “Old Century Man” is an upbeat rocker that plays directly into the trio’s old fashioned classic rock aesthetic. That song could be said to be the mission statement for the eight tracks following it, but The Brought Low do more sonically than hit overdrive for three minutes at a time and call it a day.

Which is fortunate, if you think about it, because if they did, we would have waited four years for a 27-minute record. And that seems silly somehow.

But no, The Brought Low offer substance in more than just temporal fashion right off the bat. There has always been an underlying emotionality to their songs, a blues-driven sense of loss made palpable to the listener through the vocals of guitarist Ben Smith. “Everybody Loves a Whore” keeps the vibe of the opener going, albeit more aggressively (or many that’s just me reacting to the name), but with “The Kelly Rose,” the band begins to show a personality in their work that 2006’s Right on Time had, at its strongest moments, started to fulfill. “The Kelly Rose” is catchy and memorable — a solid transition into “A Thousand Miles Away,” which takes a wistful, acoustic turn, highlighting a road-weary loneliness in the lyrics that’s perfectly suited to the pop melancholy of the music.

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A heartfelt “Fucking a” goes out to NYC’s best pure rock band, The Brought Low, who landed the gig of gigs opening for much-lauded supergroup Them Crooked Vultures Monday night, Feb. 8, at Roseland Ballroom in Manhattan! Quite a score, gentlemen. If you’ve ever seen The Brought Low live, you already know they’re more than equal to the task, since, to put it succinctly, they kill.

In also-ruling news, The Brought Low also recently finished their new album, Third Record, for upcoming release via Small Stone. They’ve just put up a new track, “The Kelly Rose,” on their MySpace. This year is looking better and better.

Here’s the deal in the band’s own words:

Just confirmed we are opening for Them Crooked Vultures this Monday night, February 8th @ The Roseland Ballroom in NYC! Super duper psyched!

Also, just posted a song from the new album Third Record called “The Kelly Rose” on our MySpace page so check it out! Should be up on iTunes in a few weeks and available as an actual CD later this spring.

I also just set up a Twitter account for the band so if you’re into that sort of thing check it out: http://twitter.com/TheBroughtLow.

Also looking very likely we will be playing some shows in the Midwest on our way down to the Small Stone Records South by Southwest Showcase in March. Stay tuned for tour dates.

Grabbed this one from the StonerRock.com news section and figured I’d put it here in case anyone didn’t see it there. Okay, basically it’s an excuse to put up a Brought Low video. Sue me. These guys rule. Can’t wait to hear the obligatory slow jam.

In case you forgot, they’ve got two new songs on their MySpace. Go get ‘em.

Loading in to Andrew Schneider’s studio this afternoon to begin setting up and getting sounds for Brought Low record numero tres basics recording.

70`s Les Paul with Super Distortion pickups? Check. Goldtop with P90s? Check. Telecaster? Check. Buncha funky pedals Bob makes fun of that probably won`t get used that much? Check. Vintage wood drumkit? Check. Ibuprofen? Check. Ford F150? Check. Tones? For days, brah.

Am psyched. Started in theory as our acoustic Zeppelin 3 then wrote a bunch of fast punk rock songs and then slowed it down and got more riffey. A little something for everyone plus the obligitory slow jam.

Should be fun. Will post updates as magic happens.

Whatever else happens this week, at the end of it, we’ll all come out winners, because New York’s The Brought Low have posted two new songs on their MySpace page. Says guitarist/vocalist/all around good dude Ben Smith on the StonerRock.com message board:

Hey all,
I just posted two new pre-production demos for Brought Low album number three on our MySpace page. We cut these completely live in our practice space so the sound quality is a little wanting but we thought the performances and songs were good enough to share so hopefully these will tide you over until the end of the year when the new record comes out.

The songs are “Mattie Groves” and “Time Will Come.” Any resemblance to any other similarly-titled songs is entirely intentional yet well within applicable copyright laws and statutes. And yes, we like Australian punk rock, a lot.

Anyhow enjoy.

Enjoy indeed. And when you’re done with the new ones, remind yourself of how much ass 2006’s Right on Time kicked by listening to the other songs on there. The only downer is we’ll have to wait till the end of the year for the new record, but if these two are any indication, it’s going to be worth it. Kick ass.