Low

Emerging from an American alternative rock scene still lamenting the demise of grunge, Low's melancholic, doomed, angst-laden indie rock drew comparisons with Joy Division and The Cure when they first emerged in 1993. Formed in Duluth, Minnesota, the dueling, somber vocals of front man Alan Sparhawk (guitar) and his wife Mimi Parker (drums) floated on top of delicate melodies and brooding atmospherics as the band became critics’ favorites. Low built a small but devoted cult audience with early albums I Could Live In Hope (1994) and Long Division (1995). Alongside bassist Zak Sally, the trio created an eerie, minimalist, reverb-heavy sound that was dubbed slowcore and the Steve Albini-produced Secret Name (1999) and Things We Lost In The Fire (2001) led to a deal with legendary independent label Sub Pop. Low began to see commercial success, especially in Europe, where they toured with Radiohead in 2003. Their classic seventh album, The Great Destroyer (2005), cemented their place as heroes of the post-rock scene and went on to influence the likes of The National, Bon Iver, and Fleet Foxes. Bassist Zak Sally departed, and he was replaced by Matt Livingston in 2005. In between Low albums, Alan Sparhawk launched the project The Retribution Gospel Choir which produced three albums between 2008 and 2013. Released in the meantime, the Low album C'mon (2011) refined their style with new bassist Steve Garrington and featured guitarist Niels Cline and members of the bands Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Trampled by Turtles. The Jeff Tweedy-produced album The Invisible Way (2013), celebrated the band's 20th anniversary. The next three albums - Ones and Sixes (2015), Double Negative (2018) and Hey What (2021) - were the result of a collaboration with producer BJ Burton. With the departure of Steve Garrington, Low was reduced to the initial duo for their 13th album, Hey What, in 2021. Mimi Parker, who was suffering from ovarian cancer, died on November 5, 2022, at the age of 55.