A 5-song starter-pack for one of Minnesota’s most lauded indie-rock groups.
With a career spanning nearly 30 years and 13 studio albums, Duluth indie-rock band Low were one of the most exciting Minnesota bands for their entire run as a group.
The core members of the band were Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker, a married couple who had known one another since grade school. Parker died of ovarian cancer in November 2022, which resulted in the end of the band.
With an eclectic discography encompassed by hours upon hours of music, here are 5 highlights in chronological order that show Low at their best.
“Words” from the album “I Could Live in Hope” (1994):
Low’s debut album opens on a hypnotizingly melancholic note, perfectly setting the tone for the remainder of the album. “Words” introduces Sparhawk and Parker’s beautiful vocal harmonies, a quality that would prove to be a constant in their music throughout their constant evolution and experimentation as a band. The minimalist instrumental arrangements, the electric guitar drenched in reverb paired with gentle drums, serve as the epitome of the slowcore genre.
“Immune” from the album “Secret Name” (1999)
A song that is more of the sentimental variety than melancholic, “Immune” is one of Low’s greatest tracks. This low-tempo track is beautifully comforting, highlighted by melodic vocal “oohs and aahs,” and groovy guitar playing from Sparhawk. While much of Low’s early material is defined by a thick layer of melancholy, this song shows them using the same musical techniques but utilizing them in a track that sounds and feels like home.
“Nothing But Heart” from the album “C’mon” (2011)
By the time Low released their ninth studio album “C’mon,” the band had grown and evolved so much from their slowcore beginnings. This 8-minute-long track starts off with a noisy electric guitar jam from Sparhawk (in a way, foreshadowing the noisier direction their music would take in the following 10 years) before transitioning into a gentle singer-songwriter ballad. However, the track constantly adds layers of instruments throughout its 8-minute runtime, so what starts as a quiet song turns into an immense, climactic wall of sound.
“Always Trying to Work it Out” from the album “Double Negative” (2018)
Low were arguably at their most vital and experimental towards the end of their career. Their 2018 release “Double Negative” showed how far out they could push their sound into the realm of electronic music while still maintaining the core values of what made them loved in the first place. “Always Trying to Work it Out” sounds like a Low song when considering it’s low tempo and reverb drenched instrumentals, but is transformed into an other-worldly work of art with ethereal electronic-influenced vocal production. The song is a prime example of Low succeeding while experimenting with new sounds.
“More” from the album “HEY WHAT” (2021)
Low’s final album showed them continuing to grow from the sound they pioneered on “Double Negative,” by featuring tracks that sounded dreamier and noisier – “More,” is the latter. In contrast to much of their music, “More” is driven by a heavy distorted guitar riff that sounds other-worldly, it is heavily modulated. Parker takes the front seat for vocal duties on this track, her vocals are haunting and powerful as ever, with Sparhawk adding some extra melody in the chorus that contributes to the chaos of this experimental masterpiece.