Low Box Set? New Album?

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These two items were mentioned in the Metro (free newspaper provided by various public transport authorities, this particular one was in London) while reporting the Alan Sparhawk solo show the other week.

Has anybody else heard anything about either of these? The last thing I heard about Low was that "Zak isn't leaving", although no explanation was ever given for why he was even considering doing so...

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Thursday, 13 November 2003 10:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Yep, Zak is still in the band. Last I heard, (interviewed 'em a few weeks ago) they were contemplating a singles/b-sides collection...which could span a few albums. They have a lot of bonus material out there, and much of it is out of print.

― Kate Silver (Kate Silver), Thursday, 13 November 2003 13:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Why was Zak an issue? I never got wind of why there was a problem.

― gage o (gage o), Thursday, 13 November 2003 15:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Was Zak playing with the Black Eyed Snakes too? I thought he was, but I'm not sure. I know Zak was playing with at least one other band for a while, and that they were doing some touring, but I don't know their status now, either (I got a little out of the loop).

If there is a box set, I hope it includes the Hospital People tracks.

― Big Red, Thursday, 13 November 2003 19:07 (twenty-two years ago)

i hope it includes the slow song!

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Thursday, 13 November 2003 19:26 (twenty-two years ago)

"Sleep at the Bottom" better be on there, that was a great one-off.

― Chris Ott (Chris Ott), Thursday, 13 November 2003 19:28 (twenty-two years ago)

hell yes because my friend played guitar on it, if for no other reason.

All of low's cover versions that have been on singles (last night I dreamt... and fearless, namely) are amazing and need to be compiled as well.

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Thursday, 13 November 2003 19:51 (twenty-two years ago)

hmmm i hope the box set has some unreleased stuff on, otherwise i almost certainly have it all already. having "Venus" on CD would be nice tho

― the surface noise (electricsound), Thursday, 13 November 2003 22:54 (twenty-two years ago)

there's no new album any time soon according to their website - they are "taking some time off"

― jed (jed_e_3), Friday, 14 November 2003 00:17 (twenty-two years ago)

If you need "Venus" on CD, you can get it on the Shanti Project Collection (which also has Red House Painters doing a keen version of Genesis's "Follow You, Follow Me")...

― Ernest P. (ernestp), Friday, 14 November 2003 05:06 (twenty-two years ago)

it would be lovely if they included "no need" on the rarites thing (originally from a split 7" with the dirty three that is sadly no longer available, but a live version i have of said song suggests that it is genius)

― Bob Shaw (Bob Shaw), Friday, 14 November 2003 11:37 (twenty-two years ago)

I've no idea what the Black Eyed Snakes are like. Are they any good?

― Ben Dot (1977), Friday, 14 November 2003 22:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Was there a split with Dirty Three apart from the "In the Fishtank" release? My personal favorite is their cover of The Bee Gees' "I Started a Joke" which appeared on a release from a Los Angeles coffee house (I could be wrong, but it was tied to a venue). They do a lot of one-off comp. stuff, so it would be nice to see a rarities collection come out.

― Kate Silver (Kate Silver), Friday, 14 November 2003 22:22 (twenty-two years ago)

they do have this new bit out, "murderer" 10" EP, 3 songs from the vinyl films label:

http://www.vinyl-films.com/records/low/lowsm.jpg

http://www.vinyl-films.com/records/rec2.html

― jason m (jason m), Saturday, 15 November 2003 01:24 (twenty-two years ago)

there was a split single with the dirty three other than the fishtank one, i think it came out a few years before.

low's "murderer" ep is superb btw. the song "silver rider" especially.

― Bob Shaw (Bob Shaw), Saturday, 15 November 2003 09:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Anyone who's still into Low needs to lighten the hell up.

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Saturday, 15 November 2003 09:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Black Eyed Snakes are a like a dirty muddy version of the White Stripes.

The Murder 10" is great.

Anyone who's knocking Low as depressing needs to pay more attention to the beauty of the songs.

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Saturday, 15 November 2003 10:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Anyone who's still into Low needs to lighten the hell up.

The hell? So you're only into light happy winsome music, then.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 15 November 2003 16:12 (twenty-two years ago)

I went to see Low in Paris during 2002... they played a Pink Floyd cover... does anyone know which song it was?

― House in motion, Saturday, 15 November 2003 16:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Fearless, probably

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Saturday, 15 November 2003 17:14 (twenty-two years ago)

I went to see Low in Paris during 2002... they played a Pink Floyd cover... does anyone know which song it was?

"Fearless". It's one of the extra tracks on the "Canada" EP.

― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Sunday, 16 November 2003 10:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Low is depressing? I've always took them as very simple and beautiful and often happy songs. The kind of music that lightened up people would like.

Some of Low's best songs are b-sides. A release of those would be very nice. I kind of hope that the box set doesn't have one or two rare songs, because that might make me buy the whole thing.

― A Nairn (moretap), Sunday, 16 November 2003 19:14 (twenty-two years ago)

more great low b-sides - their cover of long, long, long is superb! and "because you stood still" is rather great too.

― Bob Shaw (Bob Shaw), Sunday, 16 November 2003 19:19 (twenty-two years ago)

I hart their cover of "I Started a Joke" What is that on, anyway? (besides slsk hehehe)

― Aaron A., Sunday, 16 November 2003 22:49 (twenty-two years ago)

It's from a tribute/benefit (of sorts) record to the LA club Jabberjaw, released on either Matador or Mammoth, I forget which.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 16 November 2003 23:20 (twenty-two years ago)

six months pass...

Ooooh...

The Low Box Set, A Lifetime of Temporary Relief: 10 Years of B-Sides & Rarities will be out on July 20th!

http://www.chairkickers.com/

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0002ADXJS/

£17.99 for 3xCD + 1xDVD?

Surely some mistake....

― Snnap Dragon (snnap dragon), Thursday, 3 June 2004 22:53 (twenty-one years ago)

*licks lips*

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Friday, 4 June 2004 00:18 (twenty-one years ago)

It's $57 on Amazon.com. Let's hope they honour the £18 price...

― carson dial (carson dial), Friday, 4 June 2004 00:46 (twenty-one years ago)

very excited!

― jed_ (jed), Friday, 4 June 2004 01:22 (twenty-one years ago)

the sampler cd for box set is really great, I can't wait to get the whole thing 20th

― A Nairn (moretap), Friday, 4 June 2004 01:57 (twenty-one years ago)

This isn't definitive, but from what Sparhawk hinted after a recent show, a new Low full-length should be forthcoming in '04, and from the few songs they played, it sounds pretty intense, almost post-rock (though filtered through their signature sound). Apologies for pimping my own review, but I'm kind of proud of its fawning naked amateurism.

― David A. (Davant), Friday, 4 June 2004 05:55 (twenty-one years ago)

yay, Sleep at the Bottom on a Low CD (finally!)

― kyle (akmonday), Friday, 4 June 2004 06:15 (twenty-one years ago)

I dig Low about as much as I don't dig Sparhawk's politics -- check out the anti-welfare title of the box set!

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Monday, 7 June 2004 13:03 (twenty-one years ago)

peanut butter toast and american bandstand is so great.

i wish murderer had been included. i find the vinyl kind of muddy. the song, however, is amazing.

― a spectator bird (a spectator bird), Monday, 7 June 2004 13:50 (twenty-one years ago)

gaping yawn.

― frankE (frankE), Monday, 7 June 2004 13:52 (twenty-one years ago)

sleep at the bottom... that's the same tune that's on their split with transient waves right? awesome 7". probably my favorite low song.

i might have to respectfully concur with frankE tho. the box should come with a pillow and a breezy afternoon in a porch swing.
m.

― msp, Monday, 7 June 2004 19:21 (twenty-one years ago)

sleep at the bottom, yeah, it's a collab w/ transient waves and piano magic although the only piano magic person on it is charles (and jerome, maybe? I can't remember. glen isn't on it anyway). it was recorded by someone from disco inferno, too. in my top three low songs easily.

― kyle (akmonday), Monday, 7 June 2004 22:55 (twenty-one years ago)

it's also on that rocket girl comp from a few years back, which is plenty good.

― a spectator bird (a spectator bird), Monday, 7 June 2004 23:42 (twenty-one years ago)

one month passes...

there is a documentary coming out about their most recent european tour: http://www.low-in-europe.com

― La Monte (La Monte), Sunday, 18 July 2004 17:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Turned up this morning. Genius. The unreleased Sonic-Youth-y surf instrumental on disc 2 is worth the entry price alone.

Not only did Amazon honour the price they originally offered, they have actually reduced it to £14.99. That's for 3 CDs and one DVD. Anybody who fails to buy it now IS INSANE.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Monday, 19 July 2004 11:07 (twenty-one years ago)

with my b-day approaching i have spread word among my friends and loved ones that this particular item would be warmly accepted as a gift.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Monday, 19 July 2004 11:14 (twenty-one years ago)

£14.99 inc. postage from www.play.com!!!

― stevie (stevie), Monday, 19 July 2004 11:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Hmm, just ordered it from Amazon too...Oh wel, £1.50ish more and I've dealt wirh Amazon loads.

Eck, who cares, it's gonna be AWESOME!

― mei (mei), Monday, 19 July 2004 12:23 (twenty-one years ago)

play are slower at delivery than amazon, but i am a BARGAIN MONSTER

― stevie (stevie), Monday, 19 July 2004 12:27 (twenty-one years ago)

in some ways its fitting that the delivery of a low album is unhurried

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Monday, 19 July 2004 12:29 (twenty-one years ago)

:-)

― mei (mei), Monday, 19 July 2004 14:56 (twenty-one years ago)

New Low album is on the way in January. They played some of the new songs at the outdoor Green Man festival in Duluth against a dark skyline on Spirit Mountain. Just when I begin underestimating them, they get even greater.

― Pete Scholtes, Friday, 23 July 2004 16:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Pete, gauche as it probably is, my review of their recent(ish) Vancouver concert acknowledges this too.

Can't wait for the box set's impending arrival in my mailbox. And the new record, of course. They are slowly becoming something we never would have believed back in '94 when we first heard "Fear" or "Slide". They've outlived and outrun their "influences".

― David A. (Davant), Saturday, 24 July 2004 06:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Anybody who fails to buy it now IS INSANE.

Absolutely. I had it pre-ordered so was amazed to see it come down in price even further. (It seems to be USD 52 on Amazon.com. I never will understand the mysteries of "free trade".)

Anyway, I've been working through this on the train to work this week. It is lovely. I admit to having been slightly disappointed with Trust, so hearing this older stuff was sooooo great.

Has anyone else got four additional tracks on the end of disc 2? A track of silence then three very low quality live recordings of punky tunes. Is this Low larking around? Or maybe one of Sparhawk or Sally's other bands? The vocals are so distorted it's impossible to tell.

― Snnap Dragon (snnap dragon), Saturday, 24 July 2004 09:56 (twenty-one years ago)

is that the Misfits set, where they played their own songs in the style of the misfits? there were mp3s on the low site for ages...

― stevie (stevie), Saturday, 24 July 2004 10:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh....

*checks mp3 on website*

... yes, it is. Thanks!

Goodness, I didn't even recognise the songs. Ha ha ha!

― Snnap Dragon (snnap dragon), Saturday, 24 July 2004 11:21 (twenty-one years ago)

It is indeed the Lowfits show, and the best quality version of it I've ever heard. If you can believe it (and you should) the songs are "Words", "Turn" and "Over The Ocean". Alan even introduces "Over The Ocean" as such.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Saturday, 24 July 2004 11:23 (twenty-one years ago)

For me, the problem with Trust is partially the production--the odd noises do not mystery make--and the sequencing, which is just too bi-polar.

Another thing is that Sparhawk is getting too--scary? Death and craziness and a terrible God lurk all over the place, without the humor respite of a good Buffy episode.

I mean, good stuff, but listening is psychologically exhausting.

― Ian Grey (Ian_G), Sunday, 25 July 2004 01:43 (twenty-one years ago)

i like the production but agree with your second point on some songs, especially the lamb song.

― twelve, Sunday, 25 July 2004 03:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Said lamb song is one of the best things they've ever done! Y'all need to learn to take at least some of your goth stuff straight up.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 25 July 2004 05:14 (twenty-one years ago)

I think the problem with 'Trust', if there is one, is that the sequence of songs that goes 'I am the Lamb', 'In the Drugs', 'Snowstorm', 'John Prine', 'Little Argument with Myself' and 'La La La Song' is just getting close to perfection and makes the rest of the album sound insignificant in comparison. It's still their best album though, I think.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Sunday, 25 July 2004 07:13 (twenty-one years ago)

John Waters is a fan?!

― Neil Willett (Neil Willett), Sunday, 25 July 2004 08:31 (twenty-one years ago)

I was amazed at that too...

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Sunday, 25 July 2004 08:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Just ordered from Play. ROWR

― DJ Mencap (DJ Mencap), Sunday, 25 July 2004 10:51 (twenty-one years ago)

David, I like the idea of Minnesota being the Canada of America. A friend of mine thinks we should secede.

― Pete Scholtes, Sunday, 25 July 2004 20:39 (twenty-one years ago)

just ordered this after selling the 'finally' cd single for £21. haha, someone obviously didn't know this was coming out!

― zappi (joni), Sunday, 25 July 2004 21:46 (twenty-one years ago)

got my copy of this on saturday. i've only listened to the first of three discs but it sounded gorgeous - i'm a sucker for their sound, so it was pretty much a sure thing.

the dvd - watched a bit of it. some of the live footage is gorgeous, otherwise it's a major dud. the blank, sparse quality in low's music is definitely present in their interviews, but it's not so intersting when swityched to this medium. they are nice but dull.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Monday, 26 July 2004 14:16 (twenty-one years ago)

What pissed me off about that is that they're actually really great people, and it doesn't come across in the interviews at all... I panned that movie in the paper...

― Pete Scholtes, Monday, 26 July 2004 14:19 (twenty-one years ago)

so what is the deal w/ Sparhawk's politics?

― Ian Grey (Ian_G), Monday, 26 July 2004 18:07 (twenty-one years ago)

dunno, but his new baby doesn't seem to approve of bushco (am i reading this right?)

from chairkickers.com:

"Mimi and Alan have a new baby boy named Cyrus, born on june
5th. He was 24 inches long and 10 and a half pounds - this is a
fairly large child, for those of you who are not familiar with the
range of possibilities. Everyone is doing fine, despite the fact
that Cyrus seems to be very upset about the government from
about 11pm to 4am, some nights."

― a spectator bird (a spectator bird), Monday, 26 July 2004 18:39 (twenty-one years ago)

haha

― Gear! (Gear!), Monday, 26 July 2004 18:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Sparhawk's politics are fairly conservative, and he is especially opposed to welfare. Go search some interviews.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 06:56 (twenty-one years ago)

disc 2 is my favourite cd right now - it could be better than any of the individual low albums. not sure about the noisy tracks tacked on at the end, but otherwise exquisite.

venus = beats sunflower as their purest pop song.

boyfriends and girlfriends = sombre gloom.

no need = uses the power of restraint beautifully, great hesitant drum pattern.

be there = love the muted (cymbal?) crash throughout, reminds me of one aphex saw vol2 track.

lion/lamb (demo) = an improvement on the original, more mysterious and otherworldly.

joan of arc (20 below mix) = jaw-dropping. muffled, blizzardy shoegaze version. rawer than the original, yet still sounds beamed in from another planet. my favourite

old man song = great vocal from mimi on this song, goes nowhere but does it stylishly.

those girls = bordering on jaunty, maybe the cd's most campfire track.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Wednesday, 4 August 2004 22:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Picked up the box set on Saturday but haven't had the chance to fully luxuriate in it. I will, though, I will...

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 4 August 2004 22:52 (twenty-one years ago)

CD 2 is glued to my discman.

― harshaw (jube), Thursday, 5 August 2004 04:31 (twenty-one years ago)

one month passes...

i'm extremely pleased to finally see Low on Sub Pop, where i really think they belong.

from the subpop website:
2005-01-25 - J A N U A R Y 25 - LOW - The Great Destroyer (CD/LP)

― the surface noise (slight return) (electricsound), Monday, 4 October 2004 04:06 (twenty-one years ago)

three months pass...

Found myself listening to I Could Live in Hope for the first time in a while -- probably as a contrast to The Great Destroyer coming out any second now -- and still love it as dearly as ever.

I don't think I ever mentioned this on a Low thread before, but the first time I caught them was through chance and luck -- they ended up playing a low key semi-benefit performance for KUCI on the UCI campus in December 1993, about a month before I Could Live in Hope came out. Knowing nothing about them at all, I found myself entranced from "Words" right at the start of the set, and they had the smallish crowd (50 max?) completely entranced. It wasn't even on a real stage, just a room in the student center. I still count myself lucky to have seen that show -- and then the show on campus six months later where we all first heard them do "Transmission" about a year before the official release.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 05:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Heh, this was supposed to go on the general Low thread! Ah well, it works just as well here.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 05:35 (twenty-one years ago)

i never much got into their debut. i love "words" but have not been terribly inspired by the rest of the record..

― the surface noise (slight return) (electricsound), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 05:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Where is the general Low thread? Three letter words don't search well here.

― David A. (Davant), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 06:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Here we go:

S/D: Low (the band)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 06:22 (twenty-one years ago)

That was quick! And thanks.

― David A. (Davant), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 06:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Not only that, but I see I posted on that thread. I have absolutely no memory of it. Wow.

― David A. (Davant), Tuesday, 18 January 2005 06:41 (twenty-one years ago)

four years pass...

A wonderful boxset. Been listening all week.

― krakow, Thursday, 19 November 2009 22:00 (sixteen years ago)

The Journey cover on disc 3 is something special.

― krakow, Thursday, 19 November 2009 22:09 (sixteen years ago)

What box set???????????????????????????????

― Daniel, Esq., Thursday, 19 November 2009 22:11 (sixteen years ago)

a lifetime of temporary relief

― indie spare (electricsound), Thursday, 19 November 2009 22:14 (sixteen years ago)

http://www.discogs.com/Low-A-Lifetime-Of-Temporary-Relief/release/587638

― indie spare (electricsound), Thursday, 19 November 2009 22:14 (sixteen years ago)

3CDs + 1DVD of rarities and stuff

― krakow, Thursday, 19 November 2009 22:14 (sixteen years ago)

Oh. Hoped it was something new.

Want to hear the Journey cover now. Want to hear the alternate take on Silver Rider, too.

― Daniel, Esq., Thursday, 19 November 2009 22:15 (sixteen years ago)

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