The Low Anthem
Encyclopedia
The Low Anthem is an American indie folk
band from Providence, Rhode Island
, formed in 2006. The band consists of multi-instrumentalists Ben Knox Miller, Jeff Prystowsky and Jocie Adams, and rose to prominence with the re-release of its third studio album, Oh My God, Charlie Darwin
, in 2009.
In February 2011, the band released its fourth studio album, Smart Flesh
, which was recorded in an abandoned pasta sauce factory.
radio station, WBRU
. They became friends and teammates for a local wood-bat baseball team called the Providence Grays. Miller and Prystowsky played in various ensembles together ranging from classical and jazz to electronica, and the Low Anthem was formed in 2006. In the fall of 2006, Dan Lefkowitz, a bluesman from Strasburg, Virginia
, joined the band and contributed to its evolving brand of songwriting with his song “This God Damn House." Early in 2007, Lefkowitz left the band to pursue simple living in a yurt
in Arkansas. The band became a trio again in late 2007 with the addition of classical composer and clarinetist Jocie Adams, a fellow student and former NASA employee, who joined the band after a late-night recording session for the band's album What The Crow Brings. She appears on vocals and clarinet on the album's closing track, "Coal Mountain Lullaby."
for empty cereal boxes to fold into album sleeves, creating the silkscreens for the album art, and hand painting and serial-numbering 600 copies of the album.
in the middle of winter and spent ten days recording the tracks that would become the album, with engineer and co-producer Jesse Lauter. After the album was completed, the band returned to the island to handpaint and silkscreen the first 2000 copies of the album The band did a release tour booked by booking agent Jeff "The Scarecrow" Jones.
While touring, the Low Anthem first gained some recognition in the UK when Rough Trade Shops decided to make it an Album of the Month. End of the Road Festival then booked the band and released a 7” single of "Charlie Darwin" coinciding with the celebration of Darwin Day.
The band signed record deals with both Nonesuch Records
and the UK label Bella Union
and both rereleased Oh, My God, Charlie Darwin after Bob Ludwig
re-mastered the disc. There was new artwork and the track order was resequenced.
In the summer of 2009, the band played US festivals Bonnaroo, Lollapalloza, the Newport Folk Festival
, and Austin City Limits
. In addition to headlining shows throughout Europe, The Low Anthem also played Glastonbury, Hyde Park Calling, Wireless, and End of the Road Festivals in the UK.
In November, The Low Anthem released its debut music video for Charlie Darwin, a claymation work by Glenn Taunton and Simon Taffe. On November 20, 2009, The Low Anthem made its television debut on Later... with Jools Holland. During its November 2009 tour in Europe, Mat Davidson, an old friend and multi-instrumentalist, joined the band.
The beginning of 2010 saw the band's first US television appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman, where it performed "Charlie Darwin", and a short tour in Europe, including its biggest headlining show at Shepherds Bush Empire
. The band returned to the US to support The Avett Brothers
and then completed its first headline tour of the USA.
, in the abandoned Porino’s pasta sauce factory in Central Falls, RI. The album was engineered by Jesse Lauter and mixed by Mike Mogis
(Bright Eyes). The album was released February 22, 2011. The band released "Ghost Woman Blues", the first song on the record as a free download in December on its Web site. The band appeared again on The Late Show with David Letterman on January 12, 2011, performing "Ghost Woman Blues."
Mat Davidson played his last show with the band on July 9, 2011 in Quebec and has since been replaced by multi-instrumentalist Mike Irwin.
Indie folk
Indie folk is a music genre that arose in the 1990s from singer/songwriters in the indie rock community showing heavy influences from folk music scenes of the 50s, 60s and early 70s, country music, and indie rock. A few early artists included Lou Barlow, Beck, Jeff Buckley and Elliott Smith...
band from Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, formed in 2006. The band consists of multi-instrumentalists Ben Knox Miller, Jeff Prystowsky and Jocie Adams, and rose to prominence with the re-release of its third studio album, Oh My God, Charlie Darwin
Oh My God, Charlie Darwin
Oh My God, Charlie Darwin is a studio album by American indie folk band The Low Anthem, originally released in 2008, and re-released on June 29, 2009 on Bella Union...
, in 2009.
In February 2011, the band released its fourth studio album, Smart Flesh
Smart Flesh
Smart Flesh is the fourth studio album by American indie folk band The Low Anthem, released on February 22, 2011 on Bella Union. The majority of the album was recorded in an abandoned pasta sauce factory in Central Falls, Rhode Island, near the band's hometown of Providence, Rhode Island...
, which was recorded in an abandoned pasta sauce factory.
History
Ben Knox Miller and Jeffrey Prystowsky met while DJing an overnight jazz show on a Brown UniversityBrown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
radio station, WBRU
WBRU
WBRU is a commercial alternative rock radio station in Providence, Rhode Island that broadcasts on 95.5 FM. It was the first student-owned-and-operated campus radio station in the United States when it started as the Brown Network at Brown University in 1936...
. They became friends and teammates for a local wood-bat baseball team called the Providence Grays. Miller and Prystowsky played in various ensembles together ranging from classical and jazz to electronica, and the Low Anthem was formed in 2006. In the fall of 2006, Dan Lefkowitz, a bluesman from Strasburg, Virginia
Strasburg, Virginia
Strasburg is a town in Shenandoah County, Virginia, United States, which was founded in 1761 by Peter Stover. It is the largest town, population-wise, in the county and is known for its pottery, antiques, and Civil War history...
, joined the band and contributed to its evolving brand of songwriting with his song “This God Damn House." Early in 2007, Lefkowitz left the band to pursue simple living in a yurt
Yurt
A yurt is a portable, bent wood-framed dwelling structure traditionally used by Turkic nomads in the steppes of Central Asia. The structure comprises a crown or compression wheel usually steam bent, supported by roof ribs which are bent down at the end where they meet the lattice wall...
in Arkansas. The band became a trio again in late 2007 with the addition of classical composer and clarinetist Jocie Adams, a fellow student and former NASA employee, who joined the band after a late-night recording session for the band's album What The Crow Brings. She appears on vocals and clarinet on the album's closing track, "Coal Mountain Lullaby."
What the Crow Brings
What the Crow Brings was recorded in Miller’s and Prystowsky’s apartments over several months and was then self-released on October 2, 2007. The band took on every aspect of manufacturing the album including dumpster divingDumpster diving
Dumpster diving is the practice of sifting through commercial or residential trash to find items that have been discarded by their owners, but that may be useful to the dumpster diver.-Etymology and alternate names:...
for empty cereal boxes to fold into album sleeves, creating the silkscreens for the album art, and hand painting and serial-numbering 600 copies of the album.
Oh, My God, Charlie Darwin
The Low Anthem recorded and self-released its second album, Oh, My God, Charlie Darwin on September 2, 2008. The band traveled to Block IslandBlock Island
Block Island is part of the U.S. state of Rhode Island and is located in the Atlantic Ocean approximately south of the coast of Rhode Island, east of Montauk Point on Long Island, and is separated from the Rhode Island mainland by Block Island Sound. The United States Census Bureau defines Block...
in the middle of winter and spent ten days recording the tracks that would become the album, with engineer and co-producer Jesse Lauter. After the album was completed, the band returned to the island to handpaint and silkscreen the first 2000 copies of the album The band did a release tour booked by booking agent Jeff "The Scarecrow" Jones.
While touring, the Low Anthem first gained some recognition in the UK when Rough Trade Shops decided to make it an Album of the Month. End of the Road Festival then booked the band and released a 7” single of "Charlie Darwin" coinciding with the celebration of Darwin Day.
The band signed record deals with both Nonesuch Records
Nonesuch Records
Nonesuch Records is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group and distributed by Warner Bros. Records.-Company history:Nonesuch was founded in 1964 by Jac Holzman to produce "fine records at the same price as a trade paperback", which would be half the price of a normal LP...
and the UK label Bella Union
Bella Union
Bella Union is an independent record label that was started up by Simon Raymonde and Robin Guthrie in 1997.After releasing records with 4AD for a large part of their career, Cocteau Twins decided to take a step towards independence and started up the Bella Union record label, through which they...
and both rereleased Oh, My God, Charlie Darwin after Bob Ludwig
Bob Ludwig
Bob Ludwig is an American mastering engineer.He is a well known and respected figure within the music industry. His name is credited on the covers of albums released across the world, and he has won numerous awards....
re-mastered the disc. There was new artwork and the track order was resequenced.
In the summer of 2009, the band played US festivals Bonnaroo, Lollapalloza, the Newport Folk Festival
Newport Folk Festival
The Newport Folk Festival is an American annual folk-oriented music festival in Newport, Rhode Island, which began in 1959 as a counterpart to the previously established Newport Jazz Festival...
, and Austin City Limits
Austin City Limits
Austin City Limits is an American public television music program recorded live in Austin, Texas by Public Broadcasting Service Public television member station KLRU, and broadcast on many PBS stations around the United States...
. In addition to headlining shows throughout Europe, The Low Anthem also played Glastonbury, Hyde Park Calling, Wireless, and End of the Road Festivals in the UK.
In November, The Low Anthem released its debut music video for Charlie Darwin, a claymation work by Glenn Taunton and Simon Taffe. On November 20, 2009, The Low Anthem made its television debut on Later... with Jools Holland. During its November 2009 tour in Europe, Mat Davidson, an old friend and multi-instrumentalist, joined the band.
The beginning of 2010 saw the band's first US television appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman, where it performed "Charlie Darwin", and a short tour in Europe, including its biggest headlining show at Shepherds Bush Empire
Shepherds Bush Empire
The O2 Shepherds Bush Empire is a music venue in Shepherd's Bush, London, England, run by the Academy Music Group. It was built in 1903, as a music hall, and in 1953 became the BBC Television Theatre...
. The band returned to the US to support The Avett Brothers
The Avett Brothers
The Avett Brothers is a folk rock band from Mount Pleasant, North Carolina. The band is made up of two brothers, Scott Avett and Seth Avett, who play the banjo and guitar respectively, and Bob Crawford who plays the stand-up bass. Joe Kwon, cello, and Jacob Edwards, drums, are touring members of...
and then completed its first headline tour of the USA.
Smart Flesh
From December 2009 until February 2010, the band recorded its fourth album, Smart FleshSmart Flesh
Smart Flesh is the fourth studio album by American indie folk band The Low Anthem, released on February 22, 2011 on Bella Union. The majority of the album was recorded in an abandoned pasta sauce factory in Central Falls, Rhode Island, near the band's hometown of Providence, Rhode Island...
, in the abandoned Porino’s pasta sauce factory in Central Falls, RI. The album was engineered by Jesse Lauter and mixed by Mike Mogis
Mike Mogis
Mike Mogis is a Nebraskan producer/engineer and multi-instrumentalist who, along with his brother A.J. Mogis, founded Presto! Recording Studios ....
(Bright Eyes). The album was released February 22, 2011. The band released "Ghost Woman Blues", the first song on the record as a free download in December on its Web site. The band appeared again on The Late Show with David Letterman on January 12, 2011, performing "Ghost Woman Blues."
Mat Davidson played his last show with the band on July 9, 2011 in Quebec and has since been replaced by multi-instrumentalist Mike Irwin.
Current
- Ben Knox Miller (2006–present)
- Jeff Prystowsky (2006–present)
- Jocie Adams (2007–present)
- Mike Irwin (2011-present)
Albums
- The Low Anthem (2006)
- What The Crow BringsWhat the Crow BringsWhat The Crow Brings is the second studio album by American indie folk band The Low Anthem, released in 2007. With the release of this album the band embraced a full-fledged DIY ideology; writing, recording, mixing, and even painting and silkscreening the record jackets from their Providence, RI...
(2007) - Oh My God, Charlie DarwinOh My God, Charlie DarwinOh My God, Charlie Darwin is a studio album by American indie folk band The Low Anthem, originally released in 2008, and re-released on June 29, 2009 on Bella Union...
(2008) - Smart FleshSmart FleshSmart Flesh is the fourth studio album by American indie folk band The Low Anthem, released on February 22, 2011 on Bella Union. The majority of the album was recorded in an abandoned pasta sauce factory in Central Falls, Rhode Island, near the band's hometown of Providence, Rhode Island...
(2011) U.S. #198
Singles
- "Charlie Darwin" b/w "To Ohio" and "Home I'll Never Be" (February 12, 2009, End of the Road Records [EOTR0011] 7" single)
- "Charlie Darwin" b/w "Sally, Where'd you Get Your Liquor From" (October 5, 2009, Bella Union Records [BELLAV215] 7" single)
- "To The Ghosts Who Write History Books" b/w "Don't Let Nobody Turn You Around" (February 15, 2010, Bella Union Records [BELLAV231] 7" single)
- "Charlie Darwin" b/w "Sally, Where'd you Get Your Liquor From" and "Don't Let Nobody Turn You Around" (March 23, 2010, Nonesuch Records [523775-7] 7" single)
External links
- Official Website
- The Low Anthem at the Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
live music archive