As Franz and Xenomania showed, attempts to cajole pop into bed just to rub yourself in its shiny gleam are often ill-fated, so when RGC roped in Matt Beckley (who worked on Paris Hilton’s debut) to mix their second record, hackles were raised. No fear though – they might have lost the warm haze of former producer and Sun Kil Moon frontman Mark Kozelek’s fair hand, but tread a similar, if crisper path here. Carried by Low frontman Alan Sparhawk’s unique voice, ‘2’ grinds along with pick-up truck resilience and Cadillac tailfin melodic flourishes, veerying between powerful Oceansize style songs of damnation and chugging, balls to the fore stormers like opening gambit ‘Hide It Away’. Only problem is, its greatness won’t half make you long for a new Low record.

7/10

Download: Bless Us All

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Tags: 2, Alan Sparhawk, Album, Franz Ferdinand, Hide It Away, Low, Mark Kozelek, Matt Beckley, Music, NME, Paris Hilton, Retribution Gospel Choir, Review, Sun Kil Moon, Xenomania