Depending on which of their profiles you visit, Lowtown describe themselves as either “atl death country” or “Introspective Death Twang.” And on a purely semantic level, they both work in their own way. But based off the dark, rollicking strains of their debut single “Take No Prisoners,” I’m more inclined to lean towards option one. This is a visceral, white-hot jam that barrels forth like hell down the highway. The air is thick with cigarette smoke, the clink of a half-empty whiskey bottle, the smell of blood and sweat. Hannah Neal’s woozy howls and black poetry don’t make me feel much like thinking. Who has time for introspection when you’re cruising with death, anyway?
Consisting of Neal, guitarist John Pierce (Post Hunk; Shouldies; Man Up, Yancey), drummer Russell Rockwell (Sunset Pig, DiCaprio), and bassist Aidan Burns (Slicke’s Majestic 6, Ravel), Lowtown’s lineup is an impressive one, with plenty of experience navigating Atlanta’s fertile DIY underground. And to be sure, “Take No Prisoners’ makes for a commanding first salvo, combining the classic four-on-the-floor fervor of the Cramps with the Southern Gothic intensity of Bambara. The performances are raw and unhinged, cutting a searing path through the track’s murky midnight aura. In other words, there’s more than enough incandescent light and spitfire energy here to keep death and darkness at bay—if only until the morning. So buckle up tight and remember what the song says: “Take no prisoners and leave no shit.”
“Take No Prisoners” is the first single from Lowtown’s forthcoming debut EP. A release date has yet to be determined.
More Info
Bandcamp: lowtownofatlanta.bandcamp.com
Instagram: @__lowtown