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Low (band)
Encyclopedia
Low is an American
indie rock
group from Duluth, Minnesota
, formed in 1993. As of 2010, the group is composed of Alan Sparhawk
(guitar
and vocals) and Mimi Parker (drums
and vocals), both founding members, and Steve Garrington (bass guitar
).
Their music is commonly described as "slowcore," a rock subgenre characterised by slow tempo
s and minimalist
arrangements. Though Low's members disapprove of the term slowcore, the band is among the earliest to adopt and popularize the style, making them considerable contributors to the slowcore movement.
Parker and Sparhawk's striking vocal harmonies
represent perhaps the group's most distinctive element; critic Denise Sullivan writes that their shared vocals are "as chilling as anything Gram
and Emmylou
ever conspired on -- though that's not to say it's country
-tinged, just straight from the heart."
band Zen Identity, the core of which was formed by drummer Robb Berry and vocalist Bill Walton. That band needed a new bassist and recruited future Low bassist John Nichols. At that time, Nichols was a senior at Superior Senior High School, and bassist in the band Lorenzo's Tractor. Sparhawk taught Zen Identity songs to Nichols and during practices, the two started improvising with some very modest, quiet themes. As a joke, they wondered what would happen if they played such quiet music in front of Duluth crowds, which at that point focused around the loud, grunge
, "post-punk" sound. Soon, the joke became a serious thought. Sparhawk left Zen Identity, who continued to perform and record without him, and he and Nichols recruited Sparhawk's wife Mimi Parker to play a very modest drum kit composed of a single cymbal and a single floor tom
. She was to use brushes almost exclusively rather than drum stick
s.
Low's debut album, I Could Live in Hope, was released on Virgin Records
' Vernon Yard imprint in 1994. It featured Nichols on bass, though he was replaced by Sally, who joined for the recording of the band's next album Long Division. Both I Could Live in Hope and Long Division were produced and recorded by Kramer. Long Division and its similar follow-up, 1996's The Curtain Hits the Cast, established the band as critical darlings; extensive touring helped them to develop a highly devoted fan base. "Over the Ocean," a single drawn from The Curtain Hits the Cast, also became something of a hit on college radio.
By the time of their next full-length album (1999's Secret Name) Low had moved to the independent label Kranky
. In between, they released several singles
and EPs
. In 1999, Low joined forces with Dirty Three
to record an In The Fishtank
session for Konkurrent records. [ Allmusic] called the six-song disc "some of the best material either unit has produced." Of particular note is the disc's lengthy cover of Neil Young
's "Down by the River." 2001 saw the release of Things We Lost in the Fire.
The following year saw the release of the band's final full-length on Kranky, Trust. All three of the band's full-length releases on Kranky featured superstar producers: Secret Name and Things We Lost in the Fire feature the work of recording engineer Steve Albini
, who proved sympathetic to capturing the band's strengths; while Trust was recorded by Tom Herbers along with Duluth engineer Eric Swanson and mixed by Tchad Blake
at Peter Gabriel
's Real World Studios
.
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 ..." In July 2003, they toured Europe with Radiohead
, Sally in tow. Following a successful tour in early 2004 that vividly demonstrated the band's commitment to their fans (Parker was visibly pregnant throughout), the band signaled their intent to continue making music by signing with powerhouse indie label Sub Pop
. To tie up the loose ends of the era, Low released a three-disc rarities compilation on its own Chairkickers label in 2004.
Beginning with Secret Name, the band have diversified their sound. The band use subtle electronic music
touches to augment their sound, reflective of their tenure with Kranky
and their exposure to the Midwest's post-rock
scene. Adding a more overt rock element to their aesthetic, the band has used fuzz bass from Things We Lost In the Fire onward, and began using distorted lead guitar on Trust. The band's 2005 album, The Great Destroyer, nods even further in the direction of rock. Recorded with producer Dave Fridmann
and released by Sub Pop in January 2005, The Great Destroyer has received mostly positive reviews; the Village Voice described the record's "comparatively thunderous verve."
Low canceled 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. In August 2005, however, Sparhawk announced his return to performance, embarking on a United States tour with fellow slowcore pioneer, former Red House Painters
frontman Mark Kozelek
. In October 2005, Sally announced his resignation and has spent the last few years running La Mano, a comics art press based in Minneapolis, Minnesota
. Replacing him was Matt Livingston, a longtime bassist and saxophonist in Duluth's musical scene. In addition to playing the bass guitar, Livingston also played an antique Navy chaplain's pump organ in the group.
After appearing on 2007's Drums and Guns and touring with the group, Matt Livingston left Low in 2008, to be replaced by Steve Garrington.
Low are known for their impressive live performances. Rock club audiences sometimes watch the band while seated on the floor. During their early career, the band often faced unsympathetic and inattentive audiences in bars and clubs, to which they responded by bucking rock protocol and turning their volume down. The huge dynamic range of Low's early music made it susceptible to background noise and chatter, since many of their songs were very quiet. A performance in 1996 at the South by Southwest
festival was overpowered when a Scandinavian hardcore band was booked downstairs. The Trust album marked a turning point, and Low's music has developed a more emphatic sound.
Their shows often feature drastically reinterpreted cover version
s of famous songs by the likes of Joy Division
and The Smiths
, in addition to their own original material. In performance, Low shows off a sense of humor not necessarily found on their recordings; a tour in early 2004 featured a cover of OutKast
's hit song "Hey Ya." At a gig in Los Angeles
on Halloween
1998, the band took the stage as a Misfits tribute act, complete with corpse paint
and black clothing.
At the 2008 End of the Road festival in Dorset
, England, Sparhawk abruptly ended the band's performance by ripping the strings and lead out of his guitar, throwing it to the ground and then hurling it into the crowd before exiting the stage. He had earlier informed the audience that it had been a "crappy day".
In 2010 they performed the Great Destroyer at Primavera Sound Festival
al version of "The Little Drummer Boy
," which was featured in a Gap television ad that depicted a snowball fight in slow-motion to match the song's glacial tempo. A remix of their "Halflight" was featured in the Mothman Prophecies
motion picture. The band made their network television debut in 2005 by performing the single "California
" on an episode of Last Call with Carson Daly
.
On June 11, 2007, Scott Bateman
, a web animator, announced that his video for Low's song Hatchet (Optimimi version) would be one of the preloads on the new Zune
.
Also in 2007 they recorded a song called "Family Tree" which featured in the "Careful" episode of Nick Jr's kids' show Yo Gabba Gabba!
On March 24, 2008, their song "Point of Disgust" was featured in the extremely popular show Skins
in the UK, prompting a rush of download sales from iTunes
. Another of their songs, "Sunflower" was featured in the following episode (episode 9).
Also, their song "Monkey" is into the movie "KillShoot" (Mickey Rourke). That is the first song of the movie.
Until now three of their songs have been featured in the UK TV series Skins :
- "Point of Disgust" - episode 7 Season 2
- "Sunflower" - episode 9 Season 2
- "Breaker" - episode 4 Season 3
As the music supervisor of Skins declared in the Episode Track Listing section of the Skins official website: "You may have guessed by now that we are all pretty huge fans of Low in the Skins office[...]"
The 2003 documentary film "Tarnation" by Jonathan Caouette
features the Low tracks "Laser Beam", "Embrace" and "Back Home Again" alongside tracks by artists such as Red House Painters
and The Magnetic Fields
.
Low was the subject of the 2008 documentary Low: You May Need a Murderer.
In 2010, Robert Plant
recorded two Low songs that were included on his album Band of Joy
. In an interview, Plant said of Low's The Great Destroyer, "It's great music; it's always been in the house playing away beside Jerry Lee Lewis and Howlin' Wolf, you know. There's room for everything.". It is rumored that Plant was introduced to Low's music by guitarist/producer Buddy Miller
who has worked with both Plant as well as Low in the past, including playing guitar on Band of Joy
. Writing credits for both "Monkey" and "Silver Rider" are listed in the "Band of Joy
" liner notes as "Zachary Micheletti, Mimi Parker, George Sparhawk" per the official listing in BMI's publishing database. The band have been chosen by Jeff Mangum
of Neutral Milk Hotel
to perform at the All Tomorrow's Parties
festival that he will curate in December 2011 in Minehead, England.
faith. (Sparhawk was born into an LDS
family in Seattle, and for some time lived in Utah before moving to Minnesota at age nine; he also briefly attended Brigham Young University
. Parker is a convert.)
In 2006, Sparhawk was involved in raising funds for the construction of a school in Namuncha
, Kenya, which he visited in August of that year. On Low's website he is quoted as saying, "My visit to Namuncha
, Kenya in August was one of the most impressive experiences of my life so far."
, Chairkickers' Union, which releases material by other musicians such as Rivulets
and Haley Bonar
, as well as some of their own material. Sparhawk is notably active in Duluth's small but vibrant independent music scene; he operates a recording studio in the town, in a deconsecrated church that naturally provides the lush reverb characteristic of Low's sound. The Chairkickers label offers another outlet for Duluth musicians, as most groups on the label are from that city, or at least from Minnesota and surrounding areas.
Sally has toured as a bassist with Dirty Three, and Sparhawk has devoted considerable time and energy to his Black Eyed Snakes
project, a blues-rock
revival band quite far removed from the Low aesthetic. Recently Sparhawk has also been seen with a new side project called The Retribution Gospel Choir
. Matt Livingston, who became Low's bassist in late 2005, also played in The Retribution Gospel Choir, and was subsequently replaced by Steve Garrington. On Retribution's first tour (fall 2005), they played the Low song "From Your Place on Sunset." Musical crossover between Sparhawk's bands went in both directions as two songs originally released on a RGC tour EP, "Hatchet" and "Breaker", were later covered on Low's Drums and Guns
release (before making it onto RGC's self-titled full-length debut). Similarly, Low and the Black-Eyed Snakes have played some overlapping songs, such as "Lordy".
Sparhawk and Sally also made several recordings in a more synthesizer-driven style, reminiscent of the band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
, under the name The Hospital People. The most widely distributed of these was "Crash / We'll Be Philosophers", released as a 7-inch on clear vinyl by Duck Suit Records. Sparhawk and Sally have also played live as The Tooth Fairies, with Sally performing on drums and Sean Erspamer on bass; Tooth Fairies sets have typically consisted of cover songs by the Stooges
, MC5
, and similar bands. Sally has generated several works that fall in the 'graphic novel' genre, and also created the original artwork for David Bazan
's (formerly of Pedro the Lion
) first solo effort, the EP Fewer Moving Parts
, which was recently re-released by Barsuk. At one time, Mimi Parker was rumored to have started a punk band called Rubbersnake, but this was an inside joke on the part of the band. In 2007 Sparhawk did a Take-Away Show acoustic video session shot by Vincent Moon
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
group from Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
, formed in 1993. As of 2010, the group is composed of Alan Sparhawk
Alan Sparhawk
Alan Sparhawk is the guitarist and vocalist for American band Low.-Biography:George Alan Sparhawk was born in Seattle, Washington and grew up in Utah. He met Mimi Parker when he was 9, after his family moved to Minnesota. Sparhawk began writing his own compositions around the age of 13...
(guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and vocals) and Mimi Parker (drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
and vocals), both founding members, and Steve Garrington (bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
).
Their music is commonly described as "slowcore," a rock subgenre characterised by slow tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
s and minimalist
Minimalist music
Minimal music is a style of music associated with the work of American composers La Monte Young, Terry Riley, Steve Reich, and Philip Glass. It originated in the New York Downtown scene of the 1960s and was initially viewed as a form of experimental music called the New York Hypnotic School....
arrangements. Though Low's members disapprove of the term slowcore, the band is among the earliest to adopt and popularize the style, making them considerable contributors to the slowcore movement.
Parker and Sparhawk's striking vocal harmonies
Close harmony
Close harmony is an arrangement of the notes of chords within a narrow range. It is different from open harmony or voicing in that it uses each part on the closest harmonizing note , while the open voicing uses a broader pitch array expanding the harmonic range past the octave...
represent perhaps the group's most distinctive element; critic Denise Sullivan writes that their shared vocals are "as chilling as anything Gram
Gram Parsons
Gram Parsons was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and pianist. Parsons is best known for his work within the country genre; he also mixed blues, folk, and rock to create what he called "Cosmic American Music"...
and Emmylou
Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris is an American singer-songwriter and musician. In addition to her work as a solo artist and bandleader, both as an interpreter of other composers' works and as a singer-songwriter, she is a sought-after backing vocalist and duet partner, working with numerous other artists including...
ever conspired on -- though that's not to say it's country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
-tinged, just straight from the heart."
History
The band formed in the spring of 1993. Sparhawk had been playing in the Superior, WisconsinSuperior, Wisconsin
Superior is a city in and the county seat of Douglas County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 26,960 at the 2010 census. Located at the junction of U.S. Highways 2 and 53, it is north of and adjacent to both the Village of Superior and the Town of Superior.Superior is at the western...
band Zen Identity, the core of which was formed by drummer Robb Berry and vocalist Bill Walton. That band needed a new bassist and recruited future Low bassist John Nichols. At that time, Nichols was a senior at Superior Senior High School, and bassist in the band Lorenzo's Tractor. Sparhawk taught Zen Identity songs to Nichols and during practices, the two started improvising with some very modest, quiet themes. As a joke, they wondered what would happen if they played such quiet music in front of Duluth crowds, which at that point focused around the loud, grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
, "post-punk" sound. Soon, the joke became a serious thought. Sparhawk left Zen Identity, who continued to perform and record without him, and he and Nichols recruited Sparhawk's wife Mimi Parker to play a very modest drum kit composed of a single cymbal and a single floor tom
Floor tom
A floor tom is a double-headed tom-tom drum which usually stands on the floor on three legs. However, they can also be attached to a cymbal stand with a drum clamp....
. She was to use brushes almost exclusively rather than drum stick
Drum stick
A percussion mallet is an object used to beat drums and other percussion instruments. Some specialized mallets are called beaters, drumsticks.Note: See Rute .-Drum sticks:...
s.
Low's debut album, I Could Live in Hope, was released on Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
' Vernon Yard imprint in 1994. It featured Nichols on bass, though he was replaced by Sally, who joined for the recording of the band's next album Long Division. Both I Could Live in Hope and Long Division were produced and recorded by Kramer. Long Division and its similar follow-up, 1996's The Curtain Hits the Cast, established the band as critical darlings; extensive touring helped them to develop a highly devoted fan base. "Over the Ocean," a single drawn from The Curtain Hits the Cast, also became something of a hit on college radio.
By the time of their next full-length album (1999's Secret Name) Low had moved to the independent label Kranky
Kranky Records
Kranky is an independent record label, located in Chicago, Illinois. It was started in 1993 by Bruce Adams and Joel Leoschke.The bands it houses are noted for combining experimental and often electronic influences with elements of more traditional rock structures, and many of the artists on Kranky...
. In between, they released several singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
and EPs
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
. In 1999, Low joined forces with Dirty Three
Dirty Three
Dirty Three are an instrumental trio consisting of Warren Ellis , Mick Turner and Jim White , originating from Melbourne, Australia. Since the Dirty Three formed in 1992, they have spent a lot of time overseas...
to record an In The Fishtank
In the Fishtank 7
In the Fishtank 7 features Low and Dirty Three.In November 1999 Konkurrent invited Low to record one of Konk's in house Fishtank-sessions. Low, being familiar with the series, accepted...
session for Konkurrent records. [ Allmusic] called the six-song disc "some of the best material either unit has produced." Of particular note is the disc's lengthy cover of Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
's "Down by the River." 2001 saw the release of Things We Lost in the Fire.
The following year saw the release of the band's final full-length on Kranky, Trust. All three of the band's full-length releases on Kranky featured superstar producers: Secret Name and Things We Lost in the Fire feature the work of recording engineer Steve Albini
Steve Albini
Steven Frank Albini is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, audio engineer and music journalist. He was a member of Big Black, Rapeman, and Flour, and is currently a member of Shellac...
, who proved sympathetic to capturing the band's strengths; while Trust was recorded by Tom Herbers along with Duluth engineer Eric Swanson and mixed by Tchad Blake
Tchad Blake
Tchad Blake is an American record producer, audio engineer, mixer and musician.He has worked with numerous artists and musicians, including State Radio, Apartment 26, Elvis Costello, Peter Gabriel, Pearl Jam, Tom Waits, Richard Thompson, Brazilian Girls, Sheryl Crow, November 2nd, Travis, Marike...
at Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
's Real World Studios
Real World Studios
Real World Studios is a residential recording studio in Box, Wiltshire, England associated with the Real World Records Ltd. record label founded by rock musician Peter Gabriel...
.
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 ..." In July 2003, they toured Europe with Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
, Sally in tow. Following a successful tour in early 2004 that vividly demonstrated the band's commitment to their fans (Parker was visibly pregnant throughout), the band signaled their intent to continue making music by signing with powerhouse indie label Sub Pop
Sub Pop
Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman in Seattle, Washington. Sub Pop achieved fame in the late 1980s for first signing Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and many other bands from the Seattle music scene...
. To tie up the loose ends of the era, Low released a three-disc rarities compilation on its own Chairkickers label in 2004.
Beginning with Secret Name, the band have diversified their sound. The band use subtle electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
touches to augment their sound, reflective of their tenure with Kranky
Kranky Records
Kranky is an independent record label, located in Chicago, Illinois. It was started in 1993 by Bruce Adams and Joel Leoschke.The bands it houses are noted for combining experimental and often electronic influences with elements of more traditional rock structures, and many of the artists on Kranky...
and their exposure to the Midwest's post-rock
Post-rock
Post-rock is a subgenre of rock music characterized by the influence and use of instruments commonly associated with rock, but using rhythms and "guitars as facilitators of timbre and textures" not traditionally found in rock...
scene. Adding a more overt rock element to their aesthetic, the band has used fuzz bass from Things We Lost In the Fire onward, and began using distorted lead guitar on Trust. The band's 2005 album, The Great Destroyer, nods even further in the direction of rock. Recorded with producer Dave Fridmann
Dave Fridmann
Dave Fridmann is an American record producer and musician. From 1990 onwards he co-produced all releases by Mercury Rev and The Flaming Lips...
and released by Sub Pop in January 2005, The Great Destroyer has received mostly positive reviews; the Village Voice described the record's "comparatively thunderous verve."
Low canceled 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. In August 2005, however, Sparhawk announced his return to performance, embarking on a United States tour with fellow slowcore pioneer, former Red House Painters
Red House Painters
Red House Painters were an alternative rock group formed in 1989 in San Francisco, California by singer-songwriter Mark Kozelek.-History:While in Atlanta, Georgia, Ohio-born Kozelek became friends with Anthony Koutsos, a drummer. He then moved to San Francisco, California, adding guitarist Gorden...
frontman Mark Kozelek
Mark Kozelek
Mark Kozelek is an American singer/songwriter Producer and frontman of Sun Kil Moon and Red House Painters.-History:...
. In October 2005, Sally announced his resignation and has spent the last few years running La Mano, a comics art press based in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
. Replacing him was Matt Livingston, a longtime bassist and saxophonist in Duluth's musical scene. In addition to playing the bass guitar, Livingston also played an antique Navy chaplain's pump organ in the group.
After appearing on 2007's Drums and Guns and touring with the group, Matt Livingston left Low in 2008, to be replaced by Steve Garrington.
Performance
South by Southwest
South by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...
festival was overpowered when a Scandinavian hardcore band was booked downstairs. The Trust album marked a turning point, and Low's music has developed a more emphatic sound.
Their shows often feature drastically reinterpreted cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
s of famous songs by the likes of Joy Division
Joy Division
Joy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. Originally named Warsaw, the band primarily consisted of Ian Curtis , Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris .Joy Division rapidly evolved from their initial punk rock influences...
and The Smiths
The Smiths
The Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce...
, in addition to their own original material. In performance, Low shows off a sense of humor not necessarily found on their recordings; a tour in early 2004 featured a cover of OutKast
OutKast
Outkast is an American hip hop duo based in East Point, Georgia, consisting of Atlanta native André "André 3000" Benjamin and Savannah, Georgia-born Antwan "Big Boi" Patton. They were originally known as Two Shades Deep but later changed the group's name to OutKast...
's hit song "Hey Ya." At a gig in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
on Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
1998, the band took the stage as a Misfits tribute act, complete with corpse paint
Corpse paint
Corpse paint or corpsepaint is a style of black-and-white makeup, used mainly by black metal bands during live concerts and photo shoots. The makeup is used to intensify the bands' imagery of evil, inhumanity, and corpse-like decay. It is most commonly used just on the face, but also on arms and...
and black clothing.
At the 2008 End of the Road festival in Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, England, Sparhawk abruptly ended the band's performance by ripping the strings and lead out of his guitar, throwing it to the ground and then hurling it into the crowd before exiting the stage. He had earlier informed the audience that it had been a "crappy day".
In 2010 they performed the Great Destroyer at Primavera Sound Festival
Primavera Sound Festival
San Miguel Primavera Sound, commonly known as Primavera Sound or simply Primavera, is an annual music festival which takes place in Barcelona, Spain in late May and, in some years, early June...
Commercial success
The band's mainstream exposure has been limited: their best-known song is arguably a hymnHymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
al version of "The Little Drummer Boy
Little Drummer Boy
"The Little Drummer Boy," originally known as "Carol of the Drum," is a popular Christmas song written by the American classical music composer/teacher Katherine Kennicott Davis in 1941. It was recorded 1955 by the Trapp Family Singers and further popularized by a 1958 recording by the Harry...
," which was featured in a Gap television ad that depicted a snowball fight in slow-motion to match the song's glacial tempo. A remix of their "Halflight" was featured in the Mothman Prophecies
The Mothman Prophecies (film)
The Mothman Prophecies is a 2002 psychological horror film directed by Mark Pellington, based on the 1975 book of the same name by parapsychologist and Fortean author John Keel. The screenplay was written by Richard Hatem...
motion picture. The band made their network television debut in 2005 by performing the single "California
California (Low song)
"California" is a single by Duluth, Minnesota slowcore group Low, released in 2004 from the album The Great Destroyer. It includes a Quicktime video for "Death of a Salesman."-Track listing:#"California" – 3:26...
" on an episode of Last Call with Carson Daly
Last Call with Carson Daly
Last Call with Carson Daly is an American late night talk show that is broadcast on NBC. The show is hosted by Carson Daly, the half-hour show featuring celebrity interviews, documentary-style coverage of a topic, and musical performances. Last Call airs weeknights at 1:35 a.m. Eastern / 12:35 a.m....
.
On June 11, 2007, Scott Bateman
Scott Bateman
Scott Bateman is a left-leaning political cartoonist currently residing in New York City . For a number of years, his political cartoons were syndicated by King Features Syndicate. After his syndication deal ended, he began the Bateman 365 project to publish a flash animated short every day for...
, a web animator, announced that his video for Low's song Hatchet (Optimimi version) would be one of the preloads on the new Zune
Zune
Zune is a digital media brand owned by Microsoft which includes a line of portable media players, a digital media player software for Windows machines, a music subscription service known as a 'Zune Music Pass', music and video streaming for the Xbox 360 via the Zune Software, music, TV and movie...
.
Also in 2007 they recorded a song called "Family Tree" which featured in the "Careful" episode of Nick Jr's kids' show Yo Gabba Gabba!
Yo Gabba Gabba!
Yo Gabba Gabba! is an American children's television show currently airing on the Nick Jr. cable network in the United States and the Nick Jr. networks in the United Kingdom & Ireland, Italy, France and Australia as well as Treehouse TV network in Canada and RTE2 on RTEjr see Raidió Teilifís...
On March 24, 2008, their song "Point of Disgust" was featured in the extremely popular show Skins
Skins (TV series)
Skins is a BAFTA award-winning British teen drama that follows a group of teenagers in Bristol, South West England, through the two years of college. The controversial plot line explores issues such as dysfunctional families, mental illness , adolescent sexuality, substance abuse and death...
in the UK, prompting a rush of download sales from iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
. Another of their songs, "Sunflower" was featured in the following episode (episode 9).
Also, their song "Monkey" is into the movie "KillShoot" (Mickey Rourke). That is the first song of the movie.
Until now three of their songs have been featured in the UK TV series Skins :
- "Point of Disgust" - episode 7 Season 2
- "Sunflower" - episode 9 Season 2
- "Breaker" - episode 4 Season 3
As the music supervisor of Skins declared in the Episode Track Listing section of the Skins official website: "You may have guessed by now that we are all pretty huge fans of Low in the Skins office[...]"
The 2003 documentary film "Tarnation" by Jonathan Caouette
Jonathan Caouette
Jonathan Caouette is an American film director, writer, editor and actor. Caouette is the director and editor of Tarnation , an autobiographical documentary, and director of All Tomorrow's Parties about a cult music festival.-Films:...
features the Low tracks "Laser Beam", "Embrace" and "Back Home Again" alongside tracks by artists such as Red House Painters
Red House Painters
Red House Painters were an alternative rock group formed in 1989 in San Francisco, California by singer-songwriter Mark Kozelek.-History:While in Atlanta, Georgia, Ohio-born Kozelek became friends with Anthony Koutsos, a drummer. He then moved to San Francisco, California, adding guitarist Gorden...
and The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields is the principal creative outlet of singer-songwriter Stephin Merritt...
.
Low was the subject of the 2008 documentary Low: You May Need a Murderer.
In 2010, Robert Plant
Robert Plant
Robert Anthony Plant, CBE is an English singer and songwriter best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the iconic rock band Led Zeppelin. He has also had a successful solo career...
recorded two Low songs that were included on his album Band of Joy
Band of Joy (album)
- Personnel :* Bekka Bramlett - backing vocals * Marco Giovino – drums, percussion, backing vocals * Patty Griffin – vocals, backing vocals * Byron House – bass guitar, double bass...
. In an interview, Plant said of Low's The Great Destroyer, "It's great music; it's always been in the house playing away beside Jerry Lee Lewis and Howlin' Wolf, you know. There's room for everything.". It is rumored that Plant was introduced to Low's music by guitarist/producer Buddy Miller
Buddy Miller
Buddy Miller is a country singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist and producer, currently living in Nashville, Tennessee...
who has worked with both Plant as well as Low in the past, including playing guitar on Band of Joy
Band of Joy (album)
- Personnel :* Bekka Bramlett - backing vocals * Marco Giovino – drums, percussion, backing vocals * Patty Griffin – vocals, backing vocals * Byron House – bass guitar, double bass...
. Writing credits for both "Monkey" and "Silver Rider" are listed in the "Band of Joy
Band of Joy (album)
- Personnel :* Bekka Bramlett - backing vocals * Marco Giovino – drums, percussion, backing vocals * Patty Griffin – vocals, backing vocals * Byron House – bass guitar, double bass...
" liner notes as "Zachary Micheletti, Mimi Parker, George Sparhawk" per the official listing in BMI's publishing database. The band have been chosen by Jeff Mangum
Jeff Mangum
Jeff Mangum is a musician best known for being the lyricist, vocalist and guitarist of the band Neutral Milk Hotel, as well as being one of the cofounders of The Elephant 6 Recording Company. Mangum, along with the other founding members of the Elephant 6, attended Ruston High School in the late...
of Neutral Milk Hotel
Neutral Milk Hotel
Neutral Milk Hotel was an American indie rock band formed by singer, guitarist and songwriter Jeff Mangum in the early 1990s. The band was noted for its experimental sound, obscure lyrics and eclectic instrumentation....
to perform at the All Tomorrow's Parties
All Tomorrow's Parties (music festival)
All Tomorrow's Parties is a music festival which takes place at Camber Sands holiday camp in East Sussex and Butlin's holiday camp in Minehead, Somerset, England....
festival that he will curate in December 2011 in Minehead, England.
Personal lives
Sparhawk and Parker are married, have two children, and are practicing members of the MormonMormonism
Mormonism is the religion practiced by Mormons, and is the predominant religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement. This movement was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. beginning in the 1820s as a form of Christian primitivism. During the 1830s and 1840s, Mormonism gradually distinguished itself...
faith. (Sparhawk was born into an LDS
Mormonism
Mormonism is the religion practiced by Mormons, and is the predominant religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement. This movement was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. beginning in the 1820s as a form of Christian primitivism. During the 1830s and 1840s, Mormonism gradually distinguished itself...
family in Seattle, and for some time lived in Utah before moving to Minnesota at age nine; he also briefly attended Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
. Parker is a convert.)
In 2006, Sparhawk was involved in raising funds for the construction of a school in Namuncha
Namuncha
Namuncha is a community is located in the Northern Kajiado District of Kenya's Rift Valley Province located an hour north of Nairobi. A seasonal source of water is the Ewuaso Kedong River. Constructed in the 1990s, there is a water pipeline that runs through the community...
, Kenya, which he visited in August of that year. On Low's website he is quoted as saying, "My visit to Namuncha
Namuncha
Namuncha is a community is located in the Northern Kajiado District of Kenya's Rift Valley Province located an hour north of Nairobi. A seasonal source of water is the Ewuaso Kedong River. Constructed in the 1990s, there is a water pipeline that runs through the community...
, Kenya in August was one of the most impressive experiences of my life so far."
Side projects
Low owns a record labelRecord label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, Chairkickers' Union, which releases material by other musicians such as Rivulets
Rivulets
-Biography:Amundson was born in Denver, Colorado, grew up in Anchorage, Alaska, and started Rivulets in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the year 2000. He has also lived in Seattle, Washington, Portland, Oregon, Dallas, Texas, Chicago, Illinois, Bloomington, Indiana and Duluth, Minnesota...
and Haley Bonar
Haley Bonar
Haley Bonar is an American alternative country singer-songwriter who hails from South Dakota. She has lived in Duluth and St. Paul, Minnesota. In July 2009, she moved to Portland, Oregon, where she spent a year writing songs for her newest album Golder, which is to be released April 19, 2011...
, as well as some of their own material. Sparhawk is notably active in Duluth's small but vibrant independent music scene; he operates a recording studio in the town, in a deconsecrated church that naturally provides the lush reverb characteristic of Low's sound. The Chairkickers label offers another outlet for Duluth musicians, as most groups on the label are from that city, or at least from Minnesota and surrounding areas.
Sally has toured as a bassist with Dirty Three, and Sparhawk has devoted considerable time and energy to his Black Eyed Snakes
Black Eyed Snakes
The Black-eyed Snakes is an American blues rock band from Duluth, Minnesota. Since releasing their debut album "It's the Black-eyed Snakes" in 2001, the band has toured the U.S. with Charlie Parr. Front man Alan Sparhawk also performs with Low and Retribution Gospel Choir.The Black-eyed Snakes...
project, a blues-rock
Blues-rock
Blues rock is a hybrid musical genre combining bluesy improvisations over the 12-bar blues and extended boogie jams with rock and roll styles. The core of the blues rock sound is created by the electric guitar, piano, bass guitar and drum kit, with the electric guitar usually amplified through a...
revival band quite far removed from the Low aesthetic. Recently Sparhawk has also been seen with a new side project called The Retribution Gospel Choir
Retribution Gospel Choir
Retribution Gospel Choir is a band based out of Duluth, Minnesota that plays short, driving songs that often start out poppy melodic and then turn into psychedelic improvisations and drum and bass-heavy dub. Current members of the band include, Alan Sparhawk , Steve Garrington , both of whom are...
. Matt Livingston, who became Low's bassist in late 2005, also played in The Retribution Gospel Choir, and was subsequently replaced by Steve Garrington. On Retribution's first tour (fall 2005), they played the Low song "From Your Place on Sunset." Musical crossover between Sparhawk's bands went in both directions as two songs originally released on a RGC tour EP, "Hatchet" and "Breaker", were later covered on Low's Drums and Guns
Drums and Guns
Drums and Guns is the eighth full-length album by indie rock band Low. It is the second album they recorded with producer Dave Fridmann . The album was partially inspired by the war in Iraq...
release (before making it onto RGC's self-titled full-length debut). Similarly, Low and the Black-Eyed Snakes have played some overlapping songs, such as "Lordy".
Sparhawk and Sally also made several recordings in a more synthesizer-driven style, reminiscent of the band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark are a synthpop group whose founding members are originally from the Wirral Peninsula, England...
, under the name The Hospital People. The most widely distributed of these was "Crash / We'll Be Philosophers", released as a 7-inch on clear vinyl by Duck Suit Records. Sparhawk and Sally have also played live as The Tooth Fairies, with Sally performing on drums and Sean Erspamer on bass; Tooth Fairies sets have typically consisted of cover songs by the Stooges
The Stooges
The Stooges are an American rock band from Ann Arbor, Michigan first active from 1967 to 1974, and later reformed in 2003...
, MC5
MC5
The MC5 is an American rock band formed in Lincoln Park, Michigan and originally active from 1964 to 1972. The original band line-up consisted of vocalist Rob Tyner, guitarists Wayne Kramer and Fred "Sonic" Smith, bassist Michael Davis, and drummer Dennis Thompson...
, and similar bands. Sally has generated several works that fall in the 'graphic novel' genre, and also created the original artwork for David Bazan
David Bazan
David Bazan is an indie rock singer-songwriter from Seattle, Washington. Bazan was the lead singer and creative force behind the now-defunct band Pedro the Lion and was the lead singer of Headphones, a band he formed out of his interest in synthesizers...
's (formerly of Pedro the Lion
Pedro the Lion
Pedro the Lion was an indie rock band from Seattle, Washington. Singer-songwriter David Bazan formed the band in 1995 and represented its main creative force, backed by a varying rotation of collaborating musicians. T. W. Walsh is considered to be the sole official band member besides Bazan. In...
) first solo effort, the EP Fewer Moving Parts
Fewer Moving Parts
Fewer Moving Parts is David Bazan's debut EP, released in limited quantities on June 13, 2006. It was re-released on 22 May 2007 on Barsuk Records.The EP was considered a stopgap release to tide fans over until his full-length solo debut...
, which was recently re-released by Barsuk. At one time, Mimi Parker was rumored to have started a punk band called Rubbersnake, but this was an inside joke on the part of the band. In 2007 Sparhawk did a Take-Away Show acoustic video session shot by Vincent Moon
Vincent Moon
Vincent Moon is an independent filmmaker from Paris mainly known for his field work music videos of indie rock related musicians as well as some notable mainstream artists like Tom Jones, R.E.M. or Arcade Fire. Besides making music videos he also makes experimental films and documentaries...
.
Studio albums
- I Could Live in HopeI Could Live in HopeI Could Live In Hope is the first full-length album by Duluth, Minnesota slowcore group Low, released in 1994. It was produced by Mark Kramer.-Track listing:#"Words" – 5:45#"Fear" – 2:12#"Cut" – 5:43#"Slide" – 3:46#"Lazy" – 5:35#"Lullaby" – 9:46...
- (Vernon Yard, 1994) - Long DivisionLong Division (Low album)Long Division is the second full-length album by Duluth, Minnesota slowcore group Low, released in 1995.-Track listing:#"Violence" – 5:54#"Below & Above" – 2:32#"Shame" – 3:56#"Throw Out The Line" – 4:05#"Swingin'" – 4:10#"See Through" – 4:25...
- (Vernon Yard, 1995) - The Curtain Hits the CastThe Curtain Hits the CastThe Curtain Hits the Cast was the third full-length album of Duluth, Minnesota slowcore band Low, released in 1996. It was recorded at Jon & Stu's, in Seattle. The cover photo wryly shows almost the entirety of Mimi Parker's minimalist drum kit....
- (Vernon Yard, 1996) - Secret NameSecret NameSecret Name is the fourth full-length album by the slowcore group Low. It was their first album on the Kranky record label, and their first to be produced by Steve Albini.-Track listing:#"I Remember" – 4:11#"Starfire" – 3:06#"Two-Step" – 5:49...
- (Kranky, 1999) - Things We Lost in the Fire - (Kranky, 2001)
- TrustTrust (Low album)Trust is the sixth full-length album by the slowcore band Low, released in 2002 on the Kranky label . The songs "Canada", "In the Drugs" and "Point of Disgust" still regularly appear in the band's live set lists.-Track listing:...
- (Kranky, 2002) - The Great DestroyerThe Great DestroyerThe Great Destroyer is a 2005 album by the slowcore band Low. It was their first recording on Sub Pop Records. "California", a song about Sparhawk's mother, was the first single, backed with a demo of "Cue the Strings"....
- (Sub Pop, 2005) (US HeatseekersTop HeatseekersTop Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical...
#13, UK #72, IRE #30) - Drums and GunsDrums and GunsDrums and Guns is the eighth full-length album by indie rock band Low. It is the second album they recorded with producer Dave Fridmann . The album was partially inspired by the war in Iraq...
- (Sub Pop, 2007) (US #196, IRE #54) - C'monC'mon (Low album)C'mon is the ninth full-length album by indie rock band Low. It was released on 12 April 2011 on Sub Pop records. The album was recorded at Sacred Heart Studio, a former Catholic church in Duluth, Minnesota, where the band previously recorded 2002's Trust...
- (Sub Pop, 2011) (US #73, UK #49, IRE #55)
EPs
- LowLow (Low EP)Low is the first EP by Duluth, Minnesota slowcore group Low, released in 1994.-Track listing:#"Below and Above" – 2:38#"Caroline" – 4:47#"Lazy" – 5:43#"Words" – 5:55#"Tired" – 5:11...
- (Summershine, 1994) - Finally... (EP) - (Vernon Yard Recordings, 1996)
- Transmission (EP)Transmission (EP)Transmission EP is an EP by Duluth, Minnesota slowcore group Low, released in 1996. The title track is a cover of the classic Joy Division song.-Track listing:#"Transmission" – 6:14#"Bright" – 3:55#"Caroline 2" – 4:41#"Hands" – 4:29...
- (Vernon Yard Recordings, 1996) - Songs for a Dead PilotSongs for a Dead PilotSongs For A Dead Pilot is a 1997 EP/mini-album by Duluth, Minnesota slowcore group Low, released in 1997. It was their first release on Kranky Records, and is viewed as their most minimalistic recording. The title is a reference to a pilot whose plane had crashed, whom the band read about...
(EP) - (Kranky, 1997) - Christmas (EP)Christmas (Low album)Christmas is a Christmas album by Duluth, Minnesota group Low, released in 1999 as a gift to fans.-Track listing:#"Just Like Christmas" – 3:08#"Long Way Around the Sea" – 4:38#"The Little Drummer Boy" – 4:52...
- (Kranky, 1999) - Bombscare (with Spring Heel JackSpring Heel JackSpring Heel Jack is an English electronic music group consisting of John Coxon and Ashley Wales.Formed in 1993 in London, England, Spring Heel Jack began their career exploring drum and bass and jungle, but have since branched out into free improvisation and jazz, collaborating with many acclaimed...
) (EP) - (Tugboat, 2000) - The Exit PapersTravels in Constants (Vol. 9): The Exit PapersThe Exit Papers is an EP by Duluth, Minnesota slowcore group Low, released in 2000. Recorded at 20 Below, Duluth. Mastered at Third Ear. Known as "a soundtrack to an imaginary film", the band sent their copies to movie makers and executives in hopes of getting work writing soundtrack music .-Track...
(EP) ("a soundtrack to an imaginary film") - (Temporary Residence Limited, 2000) - In the FishtankIn the Fishtank 7In the Fishtank 7 features Low and Dirty Three.In November 1999 Konkurrent invited Low to record one of Konk's in house Fishtank-sessions. Low, being familiar with the series, accepted...
(with Dirty ThreeDirty ThreeDirty Three are an instrumental trio consisting of Warren Ellis , Mick Turner and Jim White , originating from Melbourne, Australia. Since the Dirty Three formed in 1992, they have spent a lot of time overseas...
) (12", EP) - (In the Fishtank, 2001) - Murderer (10") - (Vinyl Films, 2003)
Singles
- "Over the OceanOver the Ocean"Over the Ocean" is a single by Duluth, Minnesota slowcore group Low, released in 1996....
" (maxi-single) - (Vernon Yard Recordings, 1996) - "If You Were Born Today (Song For Little Baby Jesus) (7")" - (Wurlitzer Jukebox, 1997)
- "No Need" (splitSplit albumA split album is a music album which includes tracks by two or more separate artists. There have been singles and EPs released in the same nature, which can be referred to as split singles and split EPs respectively...
maxi-single with Dirty ThreeDirty ThreeDirty Three are an instrumental trio consisting of Warren Ellis , Mick Turner and Jim White , originating from Melbourne, Australia. Since the Dirty Three formed in 1992, they have spent a lot of time overseas...
) - (Touch And Go, 1997) - "Venus (7")" - (Sub Pop Records, 1997)
- "Joan of Arc (7")Joan of Arc (song)"Joan of Arc" is a 7" single by Duluth, Minnesota slowcore group Low, released in 1998....
" - (Tugboat Records, 1998) - "Sleep at the Bottom" (splitSplit albumA split album is a music album which includes tracks by two or more separate artists. There have been singles and EPs released in the same nature, which can be referred to as split singles and split EPs respectively...
7" with Piano MagicPiano MagicPiano Magic is a musical collective formed in the summer of 1996 by Glen Johnson, Dominic Chennell, and Dick Rance in London, England. Their sound has been described as ambient pop, post-rock, indietronica, coldwave, dark wave and ghostrock...
& Transient Waves) - (Rocket Girl, 1998) - "Immune (7")" - (Tugboat Records, 1999)
- "Dinosaur ActDinosaur Act"Dinosaur Act" is a single by Duluth, Minnesota slowcore group Low, released in 2000. It was released in formats of 7" single and maxi-single. Mark De Gli Antoni plays the keyboard sampler on "Don't Carry It All"-Track listing:# "Dinosaur Act" – 4:11...
" (7", maxi-single) - (Tugboat Records, 2000) - "K. / Low" (splitSplit albumA split album is a music album which includes tracks by two or more separate artists. There have been singles and EPs released in the same nature, which can be referred to as split singles and split EPs respectively...
) (7", maxi-single) - (Tiger Style, 2001) - "Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me & Because You Stood Still" (CD singleCD singleA CD single is a music single in the form of a standard size Compact Disc, not to be confused with the 3-inch CD single, which uses a smaller form factor. The format was introduced in the mid-1980s, but did not gain its place in the market until the early 1990s...
) - (Chairkickers' Music, 2001) - "Canada" (7", maxi-single) - (Rough Trade (UK), 2002)
- "David and Jude" (splitSplit albumA split album is a music album which includes tracks by two or more separate artists. There have been singles and EPs released in the same nature, which can be referred to as split singles and split EPs respectively...
7" with Vibracathedral OrchestraVibracathedral OrchestraVibracathedral Orchestra is an England-based drone ensemble that has been active since 1998.-Biography:The original group came together when Mick Flower began recording with Neil Campbell and Julian Bradley, who had released a number of homemade cassettes and an LP of their duo work...
) - (Misplaced Music, 2002) - "CaliforniaCalifornia (Low song)"California" is a single by Duluth, Minnesota slowcore group Low, released in 2004 from the album The Great Destroyer. It includes a Quicktime video for "Death of a Salesman."-Track listing:#"California" – 3:26...
" (maxi-single) - (Rough Trade (UK), 2004) - "Tonight" (12", maxi-single) - (Buzzin' Fly Records, 2004)
- "Hatchet (Optimimi Version)" (7") - (Sub Pop Records, 2007)
- "Santa's Coming Over" (7") - (Sub Pop Records, 2008)
Live albums
- Maybe They Are Not Liking The Human BeingsMaybe They Are Not Liking the Human BeingsMaybe They Are Not Liking The Human Beings is a live album by Duluth, Minnesota slowcore group Low, unofficially released in 1998. Recorded live at The Pit's on May 17th 1998. Inner sleeve contains printing of a handwritten postcard of Alan from Low in which he agrees with bringing out a limited...
(semi-official release) - (Saturday Night Beaver, 1998) - One More Reason To ForgetOne More Reason to ForgetOne More Reason to Forget is a live album by Duluth, Minnesota slowcore group Low, released in 1998. Recorded live to DAT on November 6th, 1997 at the Church of Phillip St...
- (Bluesanct, 1998) - Paris '99: "Anthony, Are You Around?" - (P-Vine Records, 2001)
Miscellaneous
- owL RemixOwL RemixOwL Remix is a remix album by Duluth, Minnesota slowcore group Low, released in 1998. Alan Sparhawk has stated that the band did not have input into the creation of the album.-Track listing:#"Down " – 13:25#"Anon " – 5:10...
- (Vernon Yard Recordings, 1998) - The Mothman Prophecies — Music From The Motion Picture - "Half Light (Single)", "Half Light (Tail Credit)" - (Lakeshore Records, 2002)
- A Lifetime of Temporary Relief: 10 Years of B-Sides and RaritiesA Lifetime of Temporary Relief: 10 Years of B-Sides and RaritiesA Lifetime of Temporary Relief is a box set by Duluth, Minnesota group Low, released in 2004. Includes a two-sided DVD that contains documentaries, videos and live tracks.-Track listing:Compact Disc one#"Lullaby" – 10:06...
(Box set) - (Chairkickers' Music, 2004) - We Could Live in Hope: A Tribute to Low - (Fractured Discs, 2004)
- Tonight The Monkeys Die (Low Remixes) - (Chairkickers' Music, 2005)
Compilations
- A Means to an End: The Music of Joy DivisionA Means to an End: The Music of Joy DivisionA Means to an End: The Music of Joy Division is a tribute album, featuring various artists covering the songs of Joy Division.-Track listing:#"She's Lost Control"...
- (Hut Recordings, 1995) - Indie-Rock Flea Market Part 2 (7") - (Flip Recording Company, 1995)
- New Music June - (College Music Journal, 1995)
- The Paper 7" - (Papercut Records, 1997)
- A Tribute to Spacemen 3 - (Rocket Girl, 1998)
- Astralwerks 1998 Summer Sampler - (Astralwerks, 1998)
- Kompilation - (Southern Records, 1998)
- Shanti Project Collection - (Badman Recording Co. Jr., 1999)
- Take Me Home: A Tribute To John Denver - (Badman Recording Co., 2000)
- A Rocket Girl Compilation - (Rocket Girl, 2001)
- Benicàssim 2001 - (Festival Internacional de Benicàssim, 2001)
- Seasonal Greetings - (Mobile Records, 2002)
- Une Rentrée 2002 - Tome 1 - (Les Inrockuptibles, 2002)
- Another Country — Songs Of Dignity & Redemption From The Other Side Of The Tracks - (Agenda, 2003)
- Buzzin' Fly Volume One: Replenishing Music For The Modern Soul - (Buzzin' Fly Records, 2004)
- The Trip — Snow Patrol - (Family Recordings (UK), 2004)
- Duyster. - (Play It Again Sam (PIAS), 2005)
- This Bird Has Flown – A 40th Anniversary Tribute to the Beatles' Rubber Soul - (Razor & TieRazor & TieRazor & Tie is a New York-based corporation founded in 1990 by Cliff Chenfeld and Craig Balsam. The company encompasses a record label with major label distribution , a home video company, a media buying company, a music publishing business, a marketing, promotion and sales team, and a direct...
, 2005) - Rough Trade Shops — Counter Culture 05 - (V2 Records, Inc., 2006)
- Elegy Sampler 47 - (Elegy, 2007)
- Sounds — Now! - (Musikexpress, 2007)
- Monkey-Killshot,soundtrack for motion picture[2009]