For the indie-rock fan, Alan Sparhawk needs no introduction. Heading the seminal Minnesota rock-pop-slowcore trio Low, he has maintained a level of rock credibility and underground fame for over a decade. In Low, Sparhawk mastered the art of restrained, beautiful rock songs, offering the enigmatic ability to maintain a stadium-level intensity while playing a musical scheme most often described as minimalist. Sparhawk brings his newest project, the Retribution Gospel Choir, to Madison, playing at the Orpheum Stage Door at 8 p.m tonight.
Retribution Gospel Choir is a much louder endeavor than much of Sparhawk’s previous work, and he modestly self-advertises it on the band’s website as “a good band” in which “great things happen when we play live.” Although they are a three-piece that would be most easily described as a straightforward “rock” band, when viewed in light of Sparhawk’s more tentative material in Low, Retribution Gospel Choir is a refreshing new take on Sparhawk’s signature writing ability.
When asked about his desire to play in a band with a more straightforward rock ‘n’ roll sound, Sparhawk nodded to rekindling his old desire to play music that was loud and organic.
“I played with a band called the Black Eyed Snakes for a while. We had a more country, bluesy sound. There is something about loud volume and the way it reacts while playing alongside others that has always appealed to me. After a few years, I’ve finally come back to it,” Sparhawk said.
RGC is indeed loud. Every instrument sits on a level plane, each combating one another while still managing to avoid displacing Sparhawk’s signature harmonic vocal melodies. While they garner comparisons to Neil Young’s work with Crazy Horse, RGC is certainly its own entity.
“I’m certainly a fan of Neil, but we didn’t set out to follow that path. Our musical influence has more to do with the proximity of where we grow up. I think it has more to do with the person and place, the person and the guitar,” Sparhawk said, responding to the comparisons. “Our music is just what it is, not so much thought out, but rather how the three of us naturally play together.”
Fellow Low bassist Steven Garrington accompanies Sparhawk in the Retribution Gospel Choir. But when comparing the difference in sound between the Retribution Gospel Choir and Low, look no further than the fantastic self-cover of “Breaker.” Retribution Gospel Choir sounds as if the nurtured melodies of Low were plugged into an amp and let loose in a world of raw distortion, not unequipped with bits of psychedelic digression and dub experimentation.
Although the music is definitely guitar heavy, with Sparhawk’s resolute lyrics left intact, his voice carries much further as the volume reaches a higher decibel. And despite the fact the female-male vocal harmonies are lost, it is still fair to go ahead and call these songs pretty. Also reassuring is how each song contains rock ‘n’ roll grit that makes for a familiar yet refreshing listen.
“I like music that pushes the extreme — you can hear the physicality of it, and I think that these songs explore that. You can hear the bodies making it happen. I hope that is something in music that never goes away.”
Retribution Gospel Choir is set to record its second album immediately after its Midwestern tour this month. The album is expected to see release this summer or shortly after.
In the meantime, catch Retribution Gospel Choir this Friday night at the Orpheum Stage Door.
The Retribution Gospel Choir will be playing tonight at the Orpheum Stage Door at the Majestic theatre at 8 p.m. Tickets are $8.
