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Low (band)

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Low is a rock music group formed in Duluth, Minnesota in 1994, and consisting of Alan Sparhawk (guitar and vocals), Mimi Parker (drums and vocals) and Zak Sally (bass guitar). Their music is commonly described as "slowcore," a subgenre characterised by slow tempi and minimalist arrangements. Parker and Sparhawk's striking vocal harmonies represent perhaps the group's most distinctive element.

Their mainstream exposure has been rather limited (their best-known song is arguably a hymnal version of "The Little Drummer Boy," which was featured in a Gap television advertisement), but Low tour regularly, and have received mostly positive press notice.

Sparhawk and Parker are married, have two children, and are practicing members of the Mormon faith. They are hardly a Christian rock group, however: Neither Sally's religious affiliation (or lack thereof) nor Parker and Sparhawk's faith is mentioned in their latest press kit [1]. There are occasional lyrical references to Parker and Sparhawk's religion, but they are generally indirect.

Low's debut album, I Could Live in Hope, was released in 1994 (with John Nichols on bass instead of Sally). It was followed by six full-lengths, two live recordings, a collection of Christmas songs, and numerous singles and EPs. A three disc/DVD box set of b-sides, rarities, videos and documentaries was released in 2004 to celebrate their tenth anniversary.

In 1999, Low joined forces with Dirty Three to record an In The Fishtank session for Konkurrent records; the result has been called "some of the best material either unit has produced."[2]

Their most recent album, The Great Destroyer, was released through Sub Pop in January 2005, and was recorded with producer Dave Fridmann. The Great Destroyer has received mostly positive reviews, and finds Low moving away from their traditional sound; the Village Voice described the record's "comparatively thunderous verve".[3]

They are known for their impressive live performances, at which, unusually, rock club audiences typically watch the band while seated on the floor (due to the difficulty of standing for long periods while listening to such slow and quiet music). Their shows often feature drastically reinterpreted cover versions of famous songs by the likes of Joy Division and The Smiths in addition to their own original songs.

In April 2003, Peter S. Scholtes of the Twin Cities weekly paper City Pages posted in his weblog that Sally had left Low. The following month, the band posted an update to the news on their website: "We have all had to work through some personal things recently ... After sorting it out, the good news is that Zak is remaining in the band ..."[4] In July 2003, they toured Europe with Radiohead, Sally in tow.

Low cancelled the second leg of their extensive tour in support of The Great Destroyer in late spring of 2005. Sparhawk's informal statement, published on the band's web forum and addressed directly to fans, detailed the personal reasons behind the cancellation.[5][6]

A brief fall tour for The Retribution Gospel Choir, a new side project featuring Sparhawk and Mark Kozelek, was announced in August 2005.

Low own a record label, Chairkickers' Union, which releases material by other musicians such as the Rivulets and Haley Bonar, as well as some of their own material.

Discography

Albums

  • I Could Live in Hope - (1994)
  • Long Division - (1995)
  • The Curtain Hits the Cast - (1996)
  • Owl (remixes) - (1998)
  • Secret Name - (1999)
  • Christmas - (1999)
  • One More Reason to Forget (live) - (2000)
  • Things We Lost in the Fire - (2001)
  • Paris '99: Anthony, Are You Around? (live) - (2001)
  • Trust - (2002)
  • The Great Destroyer - (2005)

Compilations

  • A Lifetime of Temporary Relief: 10 Years of B-Sides and Rarities - (2004)
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