Their music is commonly described as "slowcore," a subgenre characterised by slow tempos and minimalist arrangements. They are one of the earlier bands to adopt and popularize the style, making them considerable contributors to the slowcore movement. (It is worth noting that the band dislikes this label. In an interview Alan Sparhawk says of descriptions of their music: "What's the cheesiest? Slow-core. I hate that word. The most appropriate is anything that uses the word minimal in it, but I don't think anybody's made one up for that") Parker and Sparhawk's striking vocal harmonies represent perhaps the group's most distinctive element.
History
The band formed in the spring of 1993. Sparhawk had been playing in the Duluth, Minnesota, band Zen Identity. That band needed a new bassist, and Nichols was recruited. At that time, Nichols was a senior at Superior Senior High School in nearby Superior, Wisconsin, and bassist in the band Lorenzo's Tractor. Sparhawk was called upon to teach Zen Identity songs to Nichols. 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 disbanded Zen Identity, 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 used brushes almost exclusively.
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. 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.
Low experienced considerable difficulties during their tenure with Vernon Yard, and by the time of their next full-length (1999's Secret Name) they had moved to the influential 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. All Music Guide 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 "recordist" Steve Albini (best known for producing abrasive noise rock and punk groups), who proved surprisingly sympathetic to capturing the band's strengths; while Trust was recorded with Duluth engineer Eric Swanson and mixed by Tchad Blake.
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 fulfill their contract with Kranky, Low released a three-disc rarities compilation on that 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 on the Fire onward, and began using distorted lead guitar on Trust. The band's latest 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." One notable exception to the critical applause is Pitchfork Media, which rated the album 5.5 out of 10 and panned its lead single "California."
Low cancelled 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. However, in October 2005, Sally announced his resignation. Replacing him is Matt Livingston, a longtime bassist and saxophonist in Duluth's musical scene.
Performance
Low are known for their impressive live performances. Rock club audiences typically watch the band while seated on the floor (due to the difficulty of standing for long periods while listening to such slow and quiet music). 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.
Their shows often feature drastically reinterpreted cover versions of famous songs by the likes of Joy Division and The Smiths, in addition to their own original material. Live, Low shows 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.
Commercial success
The band's mainstream exposure has been limited: their best-known song is arguably a hymnal 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.
However, because of their minimal overhead expenses (the band makes very little use of professional recording facilities), Low have managed to develop a reasonably comfortable career.
Personal lives
Sparhawk and Parker are married, have two children, and are practicing members of the Mormon 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.)
Lyrical references: Christianity and Mormonism
Low are hardly a Christian rock group, however, at least in the usual sense: neither Sally's religious affiliation (or lack thereof) nor Parker and Sparhawk's faith is mentioned in their latest press kit. Low have often toured with other "Christian, not Christian rock" acts such as Pedro the Lion and the Danielson Famile.
However, there are occasional lyrical references (usually subtle and/or indirect) to Parker and Sparhawk's religion. Sometimes these references are traditional Christian themes. The song "If You Were Born Today," on both the live album One More Reason to Forget and on the Christmas album, quietly suggests what might happen if Jesus were born in contemporary times. On Things We Lost in the Fire, the song "Whore" includes Parker's haunting chorus "you will get your reward", while Sparhawk asks "is it so wrong to think there's more?" Disc one of A Lifetime of Temporary Relief includes the song "David & Jude," while disc two includes two versions of "Joan of Arc" and the Spacemen 3 cover "Lord, Can You Hear Me?" Many references draw specifically on themes from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. These include "Weight of Water" and "Missouri" on Secret Name, whose title itself refers to an LDS naming ritual; this album also contains the song "Lion/Lamb." The Trust track "The Lamb," at least partially concerns the death of Joseph Smith.
The Christmas album's religious content is generally more direct, including in addition to "If you were born today" an original song about the Three Wise Men's subversion of Herod to protect Jesus ("Long way around the sea"), as well as traditionals ("Silent night," "Little drummer boy," the Elvis song "Blue Christmas") and original secular, seasonal songs ("Just Like Christmas," "Taking down the tree," "One special gift,").
Lyrical references: Duluth, Minnesota, and elsewhere
Low lyrics also subtly and indirectly reference geography. Very often, these geographic references center on their home in Duluth, Minnesota. Sparhawk has said that the song "Sea," from I Could Live in Hope, is about Duluth. The lyrics say, "The sea is a long, long way / from me . . . I'd go there if I had the time / but lying here will do just fine." To any Duluthian, this inevitably summons up Lake Superior, the largest of the Great Lakes, at whose western tip Duluth rests. Lake Superior is not salt water, but it is a very, very large body of water, certainly as large as many bodies of water that are called "seas." In fact, Lake Superior is sometimes called "the Inland Sea." The EP Songs for a Dead Pilot, was reportedly dedicated to a pilot who crashed near Duluth in the late 1990s. On Things We Lost in the Fire, the song "Sunflower" may refer to a notorious murder up the North Shore of Lake Superior some time in the late 70s or early 80s. On Trust, cold Minnesota winters emerge in the lyrics, "when we were young / we wanted to die / but the sound of a drum / and the words of a child / brought different light / now no one can tell / the winter was nice... the ground was so hard / the nights were so long / but we suffered the dark / and we wrote all those songs / still i was a fool / i covered my ears / no i would not face the last snowstorm of the year." (These lyrics also of course indulge both Low's repeating, dark, self-destructive / murderous / suicidal theme as well as their theme about having children.)
Other lyrics have referred elsewhere. Secret Name includes the song "Missouri," which may refer to the LDS community's travels westward. Songs for a Dead Pilot's last track is "Hey Chicago," which says "Hey Chicago, I'm leaving." On Trust, the song "Canada," says "you can't take that stuff to Canada," which inescapably suggests advice to people attempting to take drugs across the border from the U.S. to Canada. (As Minnesota sits along the border of Ontario and Manitoba, this can also be seen as a reference to Minnesota.) Songs on The Great Destroyer frequently reference geography. "California," says "Though it breaks your heart / We had to sell the farm / Back to California where it's warm." This possibly refers to Sparhawk's own mother selling the family farm upon which Sparhawk had grown up (compare the lyrics for "Mom says" on The Curtain Hits the Cast: "mom says / a farm's the best place to call home / but I don't know.") "Broadway (so many people)" refers very specifically to the intersection of Broadway and East 4th Street in New York City: "Last night just north of Houston / Broadway so many people / Through your third story window / I see my favorite record store [most likely Other Music on 4th, a noted independent record store]. At a February 2004 show at "Dante's" in Portland, Ore., Sparhawk told the crowd that the song "Walk into the Sea" was about "a guy who used to live here that we got know pretty well. He's gone now..." in what many fans believe was a reference to Academy Award-nominated singer-songwriter Elliott Smith, a long-time Portland resident. Smith had died just months earlier in October 2003. On the Murderer EP is the song, "From Your Place on Sunset," which refers to many locations in the Los Angeles area.
Side projects
Low owns a record label, 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 new bassist in late 2005, played in The Retribution Gospel Choir until early 2008 at which time Steve Garrington became the bassist for both this band and Low. On Retribution's first tour (fall 2005), they played the Low song "From Your Place on Sunset." (Similarly, Low and the Black-Eyed Snakes have played some overlapping songs, such as "Lordy".)
Dark
Low Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Interesting Facts ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Look at the dark clouds baby yeah they're floating by
They're coming over, over there
Cruising along like a fleet of ships that fly
Should we go out and play in the rain?
Should we go out and play in the rain, do you want to?
Way down deep inside
Since we were young we were told we've got nothing to hide
We rode all the way from home
Here to catch a breather
And sat there until it was dark
And saw how the ways the tides of time broke water
On our breakwater
Way down, way down there
Look at the carvings we left on the rocks around
Way over there, they're lying there
Weathered by old mother nature breaking ground
Fading away with the tide of time
Eroding the days of sorrow slowly away
But way down deep inside
We've never held onto the things that wither away
As long as without any doubt
The dying of every living thing is certain
Then we'll be happy we tried
Always to be in the fullness of our own presence
In every moment
Way in, way inside
We know that we've hurt the ones we've loved once before
But who's wrong?
Who's right?
We don't want to be the ones pointing the fingers
Lay out all that blame in the sun
The healing's just begun, everything's forgiven
Way down deep inside
All that matters is everyone is happy
Dark clouds come our way
Nothing to fear, our world is not ending
Dark clouds come our way
Nothing to fear, our world is not melting
It's not made of sugar
Dark clouds
Come our way
Nothing to fear
Going away
Dark clouds
Come our way
Nothing to fear
Going away
Dark clouds
Come our way
Nothing to fear
Going away
Dark clouds
Come our way
Nothing to fear
Going away
The song "Dark" by Low is a wistful and reflective ballad that explores the passing of time and the way memories and experiences shape our lives. The lyrics are full of evocative imagery, from the "dark clouds" that hang heavily in the sky to the "carvings we left on the rocks" that have been slowly eroded by the tides. The singer muses on the transience of life, taking comfort in the fact that "as long as without any doubt / The dying of every living thing is certain / Then we'll be happy we tried / Always to be in the fullness of our own presence / In every moment." There is a sense of acceptance and calm acceptance in this sentiment, as if the singer has learned to come to terms with the inevitability of change and loss.
Throughout the song, there is also an undercurrent of nostalgia and longing for a simpler time. The repeated refrain of "dark clouds come our way / nothing to fear, our world is not ending" feels almost like a reassurance or a mantra, a way of holding onto hope when things feel uncertain or overwhelming. At the same time, there is a recognition that the past cannot be reclaimed: "fading away with the tide of time / eroding the days of sorrow slowly away / but way down deep inside / we've never held onto the things that wither away."
Overall, "Dark" is a poignant meditation on the passage of time and the way that we hold onto memories and experiences. It combines gentle melodies and dreamy instrumentation with thoughtful, introspective lyrics to create a deeply affecting musical experience.
Interesting facts about the song:
Interesting Facts
Note: This section uses generative AI, which can be inaccurate.
Line by Line Meaning
Way up, way up there
High above, in the sky
Look at the dark clouds baby yeah they're floating by
Take a good look at the ominous clouds in the sky that are moving gently
They're coming over, over there
The clouds are gradually approaching the place where the singer and listener are standing
Cruising along like a fleet of ships that fly
The clouds are moving like a group of flying ships moving across the sky
Should we go out and play in the rain?
Do you want to go outside and enjoy the rain?
Way down deep inside
In the depths of our emotions
Since we were young we were told we've got nothing to hide
We were brought up to be honest and open
Way out away from the crowd
Far away from other people
We rode all the way from home
We traveled from home to this place
Here to catch a breather
To take a break and relax
And sat there until it was dark
And stayed there until nightfall
And saw how the ways the tides of time broke water
We witnessed the effects of the passage of time on the water
On our breakwater
On the structure built to protect the shore from waves
Way down, way down there
Deep below
Look at the carvings we left on the rocks around
Notice the marks we made on the nearby rocks
Way over there, they're lying there
Far away from us, those rocks are still there
Weathered by old mother nature breaking ground
The rocks have been altered by natural forces over time
Fading away with the tide of time
Gradually disappearing and changing over time
Eroding the days of sorrow slowly away
Slowly removing the memory of past events that caused us pain
We've never held onto the things that wither away
We haven't tried to hold onto things that are fleeting and temporary
As long as without any doubt
As long as we're certain
The dying of every living thing is certain
Death is inevitable for all living things
Then we'll be happy we tried
Then, we'll be pleased that we lived our lives to the fullest
Always to be in the fullness of our own presence
Always to be present in the moment, fully aware of our surroundings
In every moment
At all times
We know that we've hurt the ones we've loved once before
We're aware that we've caused pain to those we care about in the past
But who's wrong?
We're not interested in assigning blame
Who's right?
We're not concerned with determining who's right or wrong
We don't want to be the ones pointing the fingers
We don't want to place blame on anyone
Lay out all that blame in the sun
Let it all go and bask in the warmth of the sun
The healing's just begun, everything's forgiven
The process of healing has just started, and forgiveness has been granted
All that matters is everyone is happy
The most important thing is that everyone is content and fulfilled
Dark clouds come our way
Difficult times will come our way
Nothing to fear, our world is not ending
We have no need to fear, as our world is not coming to an end
Dark clouds come our way
Difficult times will come our way
Nothing to fear, our world is not melting
We have no reason to fear, as our world is not deteriorating
It's not made of sugar
Our world is not fragile and easily destroyed, like sugar dissolving in water
Going away
The difficult times will pass
Going away
The difficult times will pass
Going away
The difficult times will pass
Going away
The difficult times will pass
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Leslie Low
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ana Maria
Amar No Escuro
Tire os seus olhos de mim para que eu possa partir
Tenho vergonha de fazer isso com você me olhando
Isso nunca tem fim, nós já passamos por isso antes
Mas eu não posso ficar dessa vez, porque eu não te amo mais
Por favor, fique onde você está
Não chegue mais perto
Não tente me fazer mudar de ideia
Eu estou sendo cruel para ser gentil
Não posso te amar no escuro
Parece que estamos a oceanos de distância
Há tanto espaço entre nós
Talvez já tenhamos sido derrotados
Sim, sim, sim, sim, sim, sim
Tudo me mudou
Você me deu algo sem o que eu não consigo viver
Você não deve subestimar quando estiver em dúvida
Mas não quero continuar como se estivesse tudo bem
Quanto mais ignorarmos isso, mais brigaremos
Por favor, não desmorone
Não consigo lidar com o seu coração partido
Eu estou tentando ser corajosa
Pare de me pedir para ficar
Não posso te amar no escuro
Parece que estamos a oceanos de distância
Há tanto espaço entre nós
Talvez já tenhamos sido derrotados
Sim, sim, sim, sim, sim, sim
Tudo me mudou
Nós não somos os únicos
Não me arrependo de nada
Cada palavra que eu disse
Você sabe que sempre será verdade
Significa tudo para mim
Ter você em minha vida
Mas eu quero viver
E não apenas sobreviver
Por isso é que eu não posso te amar no escuro
Parece que estamos a oceanos de distância
Há tanto espaço entre nós
Talvez já tenhamos sido derrotados
Sim, sim, sim, sim, sim, sim
Tudo me mudou
Eu, eu, eu, eu, eu acho que você não pode me salvar
Eniruko Lozo
I can't love you in the dark
It feels like we're oceans apart
There is so much space between us
Baby, we're already defeated
Ah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah
Everything changed me
We're not the only ones, I don't regret a thing
Every word I've said, you know I'll always mean
It is the world to me that you are in my life
But I want to live and not just survive
Wagner Dutra
Lyrics: Take your eyes off of me so I can leave
I'm far too ashamed to do it with you watching me
This is never ending, we have been here before
But I can't stay this time 'cause I don't love you anymore
Please, stay where you are
Don't come any closer
Don't try to change my mind
I'm being cruel to be kind
I can't love you in the dark
It feels like we're oceans apart
There is so much space between us
Baby, we're already defeated
Ah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah
Everything changed me
You have given me something that I can't live without
You mustn't underestimate that when you are in doubt
But I don't want to carry on like everything is fine
The longer we ignore it, all the more that we will fight
Please, don't fall apart
I can't face your breaking heart
I'm trying to be brave
Stop asking me to stay
I can't love you in the dark
It feels like we're oceans apart
There is so much space between us
Baby, we're already defeated
Ah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah
Everything changed me
We're not the only ones, I don't regret a thing
Every word I've said, you know I'll always mean
It is the world to me that you are in my life
But I want to live and not just survive
That's why I can't love you in the dark
It feels like we're oceans apart
There is so much space between us
Baby, we're already defeated
'Cause, ah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah
Everything changed me
And I-I-I-I-I don't think you can save me
I Am Stranger
~Love in the Dark Lyrics~
Take your eyes off of me so I can
leave
I'm far too ashamed to do it with you watching me
This is never ending, we have been here before
But I can't stay this time 'cause I don't love you anymore
Please, stay where you are
Don't come any closer
Don't try to change my mind
I'm being cruel to be kind
I can't love you in the dark
It feels like we're oceans apart
There is so much space between us
Baby, we're already defeated
Ah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah
Everything changed me
You have given me something that I can't live without
You mustn't underestimate that when you are in doubt
But I don't want to carry on like everything is fine
The longer we ignore it, all the more that we will fight
Please, don't fall apart
I can't face your breaking heart
I'm trying to be brave
Stop asking me to stay
I can't love you in the dark
It feels like we're oceans apart
There is so much space between us
Baby, we're already defeated
Ah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah
Everything changed me
We're not the only ones, I don't regret a thing
Every word I've said, you know I'll always mean
It is the world to me that you are in my life
But I want to live and not just survive
That's why I can't love you in the dark
It feels like we're oceans apart
There is so much space between us
Baby, we're already defeated
'Cause, ah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah
Everything changed me
And I-I-I-I-I don't think you can save me
Pillow
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Eva Samudine
Aa
Stephanie Hammill
0
Diogo Costa
😊0
Fiomymi
This song describes perfectly how hurtful it is to know you have to leave somebody
LUX💙
YES 😭😭😭
Jackie
It’s both physically and emotionally painful
lorèal
yes
Keyry carballo
Yes it’s so hard 😢😢😢
Leonor Lourenço
Yes🥺