In 2024, Low's Alan Sparhawk released his solo debut White Roses, My God, a record of experimental pop music that worked as a public reckoning with grief over the loss of his wife and bandmate Mimi Parker, who passed away from cancer in 2022. Last year, Sparhawk teamed up with Trampled By Turtles to release a very different record called With Trampled By Turtles. Sparhawk remains extremely busy. A few months ago, he and Paul Metsa released the protest song "No Kings (No Crown)." Two nights ago, he sang Black Sabbath's "War Pigs" with Hippo Campus at that band's ICE Out! benefit in Minneapolis. Now, Sparhawk has two new songs of his own.
Sparhawk's new tracks "JCMF" and "No More Darkness" are out today on a new Sub Pop double single called Alan Sparhawk Solo Band. The titular band does exist. It's got Sparhawk himself on guitar and vocals and Cyrus Sparhawk, son of Alan and Mimi Parker, on bass. Eric Pollard, formerly of the Low side project Retribution Gospel Choir, plays drums.
"JCMF," one of Sparhawk's new songs, is a slow, angry zone-out with serious doom metal overtones. Over slow, fuzzed-out riffage, Sparhawk wails, "When Jesus come back, all you motherfuckers are going to pay!" On the flipside, "No More Darkness" is a very different song. It's a sad, quiet, hopeful incantation: "No more darkness, my love." This is some heavy shit. This man is expressing real things. Here's what Sparhawk says about "JCMF":
This is a song I’ve had for a few years, but couldn’t find the right way to play or record it. We started playing it last year in the Alan Sparhawk Solo Band, on tour, and with each month, the sentiment of the song only increased. I feel like the song has become a rebuke against the fascist/authoritarian streak that several world leaders have taken on and to the people who have been blinded into supporting them.
And here's what he says about "No More Darkness":
Inspired by a David Lynch quote (“Don’t fight the darkness. Don’t even worry about the darkness. Turn on the light and the darkness goes. Turn up the light of pure consciousness. Negativity goes.”) This song reminds me to choose light in especially dark times. We were ending our set with this tune all year, and it is my wish for everyone, especially those who feel alone.
Sparhawk is donating some of the proceeds from these songs to the International Institute of Minnesota. Below, check out both tracks and Sparhawk's upcoming tour dates.
TOUR DATES:
2/21 - Red Wing, MN @ Big Turn Music Festival
3/29 - Knoxville, TN @ Big Ears Music Festival (with Trampled by Turtles)
5/03 - Krems an der Donau, Austria @ donaufestival
5/04 - Prague, Czechia @ Cultural House Krakov
5/06 - Kortrijk, Belgium @ Wilde Western
The Alan Sparhawk Solo Band double single is out now on Sub Pop. Read our 2024 feature on Sparhawk here.
