High On Low

Back in April when I was living the bachelor dream (i.e. pop tarts and nachos for dinner and never having to do the dishes) my first real act of being a one-month bachelor was going to a concert with my friend Paul.  This is not to be confused with the piano recitals and violin concertos that Paul often refers to as concerts; no, this was a real, check your ID at the door, ink stamp on your fist, people wearing weird clothes, rock concert.

The band was Low and the venue was The Black Cat in DC.  Low was touring their new album, 'C'mon', which I highly recommend by the way.  The new album, and the live performance served as a reminder that Low is an awesome band.  

As white males standing 6'2''and 6'1'' respectively, Paul and I fit right in to Low's target market demographic

They are pioneers and perfectors of the "slow-core" rock movement.  It's the kind of music to which you can get lost deep in thought one minute, and then find yourself doing feet stomps and air drums the next.

I was surprised to see just how good of a singer and performer Alan Sparhawk is (lead vocals, lead guitar).  His vocals were floating up and down the treble clef and he is impressive in his ability to sustain notes at the top of his range (I was further convinced of this when I tried to play some songs on my own at home and was downright ashamed at how awful I sounded).  His guitar style is completely unique as well.  Almost everything is in alternate tunings and he's an unconventional strummer.  When he plays the more intense guitar parts he appears like he's trying to simultaneously chop wood and birth a child.

And on the skins (simple drums) is Mimi Parker.  Her voice is mostly melodic and angelic, but occasionally harrowing.

What is even more interesting to me is the band's personal life.  Alan and Mimi are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (you're welcome, President Packer).  This seems like a real struggle to have to balance what seem like two incompatible lifestyles.  And from what I can tell it has been a struggle for Alan Sparhawk (some skeletons in his closet include drugs and a belief that he was (or is) antichrist).  Add to this the fact that they are raising two children and one has to wonder how they manage.  I won't try and guess; but maybe they manage just fine; maybe they manage better than you and I do.

It seems like a whole different kind of romance and marital connection to me to have two people sing together and harmonize the way they do.  I think all couples should find some format in which they can really get on their own wavelength like these two do.  I really admire it.  This youtube clip is a good example of how they achieve that wavelength (just ignore the fact that they look like drugged out hippies).

My wife still can't get into Low (she cites monotone and boring and heavy as her key criticisms) so I guess they won't be our "wavelength," but I'll convince her eventually.