The band's lineup has changed frequently during its career, with founding members Miller and Prystowsky being the only constants. Former members include Dan Lefkowitz (guitar) (2006–2007), Mat Davidson (bass) (2009–2011), Jocie Adams (vocals, organ, clairinet) (2007–2013), Mike Irwin (guitar, bass, trumpet) (2011–2013) and Tyler Osborne (guitar, bass). Adams, the longest serving member other than Miller and Prystowsky, amicably left the group in 2013 to focus on her other band Arc Iris.
Ben Knox Miller and Jeffrey Prystowsky met while DJing an overnight jazz show on a Brown University 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."
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 diving for empty cereal boxes to fold into album sleeves to creating the silkscreens for the album art, to hand painting and serial-numbering 600 copies of the album.
The Low Anthem recorded and self-released its second album, Oh, My God, Charlie Darwin on September 2, 2008. The band traveled to Block Island 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. Matt Davidson became a member of the band shortly before the band's Autumn 2009 tour.
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.
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.
From December 2009 until February 2010, the band recorded its fourth album, Smart Flesh, in the abandoned Porino’s pasta sauce factory in Central Falls, RI. The album was engineered by Jesse Lauter and mixed by Mike Mogis of 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."
In July 2011, Matt Davidson played his final show with The Low Anthem. He has been replaced by Mike Irwin. Multi-instrumentalist Tyler Osbourne joined the band in December 2011.
On December 20, 2011, the band released an album for free under the alter-ego Snake Wagon, entitled "Have Fun With Snake Wagon". The album was recorded during the same sessions as Smart Flesh. The band has also recorded a soundtrack album for the upcoming film "Arcadia" for release in 2012.
Tremble
The Low Anthem Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Do not quake and do not bark
You will find the spark
If your tree should bare no fruit
Do not turn and do not spill
You are beautiful
Do not cry a million lakes
Do not cry a million lakes
When the winds surround your house
Do not twist and do not shout
Wait it out
If your hand should lose it's grip
Do not tremble do not sweat
For where then would you get
You have got the looks my dear
To make a mountain shake
Imagine me
You have got the voice my love
To melt a lake of ice
Imagine me
If your heart is unemployed
Do not rush but do not stall
For I am waiting
The Low Anthem's song "Tremble" encourages a message of hope and resilience in difficult times. The lyrics inspire listeners to remain patient and not succumb to overwhelming emotions. The repetition of "do not" and "wait it out" suggests that the singer is offering comfort in the face of life's challenges. Lines such as "if your pilot light should die, you will find the spark" evoke a sense of newfound power in the face of adversity. The song reminds us that even in our darkest moments, we have strength within ourselves and there are people around us who care for us, waiting to help even when we don't realize it. The repeated line "imagine me" encourages the listener to picture a caring and supportive presence by their side through difficult times.
Despite its message of hope, the song is tinged with melancholy. The repetition of "do not cry a million lakes" suggests that crying and sadness are inevitable, but that it is important not to let them overtake us. The reference to a broken clarinet may signify the loss of an important tool of expression for the singer or listener, while the allusion to a tree that bears no fruit may represent feelings of emptiness or unfulfilled promise. Nevertheless, the song ultimately emphasizes the power of perseverance, love and imagination to help us weather even the strongest of storms.
Line by Line Meaning
If yor pilot light should die
If you lose your energy or motivation,
Do not quake and do not bark
Do not be afraid or panic,
You will find the spark
You will find inspiration to reignite your energy or motivation,
If your tree should bare no fruit
If you are not achieving what you want,
Do not turn and do not spill
Do not give up or lose hope,
You are beautiful
You have many good qualities,
If your clarinet should break
If something you rely on breaks or fails,
Do not cry a million lakes
Do not be overwhelmed with sadness,
When the winds surround your house
When life becomes difficult or challenging,
Do not twist and do not shout
Do not panic or get angry,
Wait it out
Be patient and persevere,
If your hand should lose it's grip
If you lose control or stability,
Do not tremble do not sweat
Do not be afraid or nervous,
For where then would you get
You need to stay calm and composed to find a solution,
You have got the looks my dear
You are attractive in many ways,
To make a mountain shake
You have the power to make a difference,
Imagine me
Believe in yourself and your abilities,
You have got the voice my love
You have the power to influence others,
To melt a lake of ice
To change something that seems impossible,
If your heart is unemployed
If you are feeling empty or unfulfilled,
Do not rush but do not stall
Do not be in a hurry or delay taking action,
For I am waiting
Someone is there to support you and help you find meaning and purpose,
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BENJAMIN KNOX MILLER, JEFFREY CARL PRYSTOWSKY, JOCELYN JAGER ADAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind