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The solemn, solitary pathos in Glenn Taunton and Simon Taffe’s animated video for Low Anthem’s “Charlie Darwin” adds another layer of melancholia to the track, offering an affecting visual counterpart to Ben Knox Miller’s fragile falsetto: “Who could heed the words of Charlie Darwin / Fighting for a system built to fail / Spooning water from their broken vessels / As far as I can see there is no land.” (The main character’s sad, unchanging eyes are weirdly depressing.) The song’s from the Rhode Island folk-rock group’s Oh My God, Charlie Darwin, their third album (and Nonesuch debut). If you’re unfamiliar with the group, fans of Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes should take note. Fans of Low, too.


Oh My God, Charlie Darwin is out via Nonesuch. They’re currently playing some shows.

10/23 – Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour #
10/24 – San Diego, CA @ Casbah #
10/25 – Tucson, AZ @ Plush #
10/27 – Houston, TX @ House Of Blues #
10/28 – Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater #
10/29 – Austin, TX @ The Parish #
10/30 – Baton Rouge, LA @ Spanish Moon #
11/02 – Tallahassee, FL @ Club Downunder #
11/03 – Orlando, FL @ The Social #
11/04 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl #
11/05 – Nashville, TN @ Mercy Lounge #
11/06 – Asheville, NC @ University of North Carolina #
11/07 – Norfolk, VA  @ Attucks Theater #
11/09 – Carrboro, NC @ Cats Cradle #
11/10 – Charlottesville, VA @ The Southern #
11/11 – Washington, D.C. @ The Black Cat #
11/12 – Boston, MA  @ Paradise Rock Club #
12/01 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club %
12/02 – Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre Of The Living Arts %
12/03 – Northampton, MA @ Calvin Theatre %
12/04 – Burlington, VT @ University Of Vermont %

# w/ Blind Pilot
% w/ Josh Ritter

Comments (51)
  1. I’d also add there’s a bit of a folkier side to Springsteen in their more uptempo songs. Great album none the less!

  2. Scott  |   Posted on Oct 22nd, 2009 0

    Saw them premier this in Providence last week – very cool video

  3. This is great, I love it! I really appreciate all the work that went into animating it – especially the water.

  4. i seriously did not want that to end. a depressingly underrated band, for sure.

  5. xenomorph  |   Posted on Oct 23rd, 2009 0

    Saw them twice in the uk. Their harmonies are sublime. Video is nice and brooding.

  6. Anthony Chalmesr  |   Posted on Oct 23rd, 2009 0

    Great band, great video, really works for the song I think. Looking forward to seeing them again at The Tabernacle!

  7. Tom  |   Posted on Oct 23rd, 2009 0

    Beautiful music video, fits so well with song. The art behind it all is so magical!

  8. Lovely, haunting song. Beautiful video. That animated water must’ve been a labour of love :)

  9. Tobias  |   Posted on Oct 23rd, 2009 0

    Really like the song, and the video just adds to the mood of the music!

  10. Richard  |   Posted on Oct 23rd, 2009 0

    Great band, great song, great video. The fish in the water! Nice little touch.

    Saw the band in Texas and UK this year, very good. Amazed it’s only three people making some of the songs.

  11. Noah  |   Posted on Oct 23rd, 2009 0

    Great band. Seen them a few times and they are always excellent.

  12. That was beautiful. Not sure how I let these guys fall under my radar, but I want to check them out after watching that.

  13. Greg  |   Posted on Oct 24th, 2009 0

    I only wish I had this E-Mail the day before, I would have gone to the Troubadour !

  14. Great video. Heard The Low Anthem for the first time at Hyde Park in July – bought the ‘Oh My God, Charlie Darwin’ CD as soon as I got home. Love it. When will the band be back in London?

    • Edd  |   Posted on Oct 24th, 2009 0

      Brilliant, like the falsetto in this track. Ben’s got an impressive range of styles.
      2 gigs in November in London- one’s already sold out though. You can see on their site.

  15. Sean  |   Posted on Oct 24th, 2009 0

    Great sounds here. Looking forward to seeing (and hearing) more from you guys. Video suits the piece perfectly. Top stuff

  16. Victor Pokorny  |   Posted on Oct 25th, 2009 0

    there’s some serious auto tune on this song.

    • Edd  |   Posted on Oct 25th, 2009 0

      Yea, i hear their dance routines aren’t choreographed by them either…

    • deadman  |   Posted on Oct 26th, 2009 0

      I highly doubt it. I don’t hear anything and I’m extremely sensitive to auto tune. Plus if you’ve ever heard them live you’d know that he sounds exactly like that. Unbelievable vocalist.

  17. Anonymous  |   Posted on Oct 25th, 2009 0

    This video is such a work of art.. their show in l.a. riday night was incredible – see them live the next chance you get.

  18. claire lemon  |   Posted on Oct 25th, 2009 0

    wow !
    I just LOVE that video !

  19. Alice  |   Posted on Oct 25th, 2009 0

    The video’s just lovely – really captures the slow loneliness of the song.

  20. Jack Dylan  |   Posted on Oct 25th, 2009 0

    Great video fits the song so well very patient how did they animate water?

  21. Pixie G  |   Posted on Oct 25th, 2009 0

    I have to admit I have watched this several times now, as it’s just so magical. I feel like I have been taken away to a dream world for a short while. Love the song and the video is just perfect!

  22. Crazy Horse  |   Posted on Oct 25th, 2009 0

    Its well book.. Very stirring

  23. Stoked  |   Posted on Oct 25th, 2009 0

    What a beautiful ,love the stop motion must have taken forever

  24. Fairy  |   Posted on Oct 26th, 2009 0

    This stop motion movie fits the song perfectly. I found it relaxing but powerful at the same time.
    Seeing the movement of water always puts me into deep thought.

  25. Gingerella  |   Posted on Oct 26th, 2009 0

    A haunting song with a perfectly matched video – I’ll be looking out for more!

  26. Charlotte  |   Posted on Oct 26th, 2009 0

    I love the song and the video, both really beautiful.

  27. Harriet  |   Posted on Oct 26th, 2009 0

    Lovely song, really atmospheric and hypnotic to listen to. Video is beautiful, so well done and enchanting!

  28. Anonymous  |   Posted on Oct 26th, 2009 0

    this is stunning

  29. ross Morrison  |   Posted on Oct 26th, 2009 0

    I LOVE this!!
    Great video, great song, great band…

    1,000 litres of wallpaper paste.

  30. Larry Ameen  |   Posted on Oct 26th, 2009 0

    I LOVE IT ………..

    Great band…….. have seen them very many times, and will see them again and again !!
    Video is VERY VERY creative….
    Good Luck
    Larry Ameen

  31. john adams  |   Posted on Oct 26th, 2009 0

    Completely mesmerizing. Beautiful song. how did they do that water?

  32. Dave Williams  |   Posted on Oct 27th, 2009 0

    What an awesome video! I love this band and it’s great to see them come through with a video that befits such a great track

  33. jesus  |   Posted on Oct 27th, 2009 0

    jesus.. amazing video

  34. Fancy Flaps  |   Posted on Oct 27th, 2009 0

    I cant imagine how long this video would have taken it amazing

  35. Jason Fraser  |   Posted on Oct 27th, 2009 0

    Great song and excellent animation, can’t wait to see more.

  36. The vocals are way too beautiful for me to pay attention to anything else. Lyrics, a video, where I’m driving, that sort of thing.

  37. Anthony  |   Posted on Oct 27th, 2009 0

    Fantastic band, fantastic video. Saw them twice over the summer – they have great chemistry and an excellent sound. Their first full length is just as good as this release.

  38. Chris  |   Posted on Oct 28th, 2009 0

    That gave me chills!

  39. i think it’s awesome that this post is the third most commented on, and there has been no arguing whatsoever…

    …yet…

  40. Ross Morrison  |   Posted on Oct 29th, 2009 0

    APPARENTLY THERE IS A MAKING OF THE VIDEO… VIDEO… WHICH SOUNDS LIKE IT’LL BE INCREDIBLY INTERESTING TO WATCH.

  41. not your parents  |   Posted on Oct 29th, 2009 0

    this is fucking dull.

  42. John tong  |   Posted on Nov 1st, 2009 0

    this has to be the best video I have seen all year that and the Beyonce one

  43. stewart Guy  |   Posted on Nov 1st, 2009 0

    i CANT BELEIVE i MISSED THIS BAND WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SONG

  44. Matt Burkowski  |   Posted on Nov 2nd, 2009 0

    What a cool viideo and beautiful song…

  45. Dharma  |   Posted on Nov 2nd, 2009 0

    Wow, beautifully melancholic… Great work, both the animation and the music.

  46. geoff ellis  |   Posted on Nov 3rd, 2009 0

    uniquely beautiful song + video

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