Thursday, November 10, 2022

"A gentle soul with the voice of an angel and such devotion"

One of the consolations in the wake of Mimi Parker's death - other than listening to Low's extensive back catalogue - has been reading the many heartfelt tributes from fans and fellow artists alike. The Guardian have published a selection of the latter, featuring the thoughts of Warren Ellis, Carrie Brownstein, Yo La Tengo's Georgia Hubley and several others.

Robert Plant - who paid his respects by covering 'Monkey' and 'Everybody's Song' in Glasgow on Sunday - referred to her voice as "a serene and beautiful shimmer", while Wilco's Jeff Tweedy, who produced Low's 2013 album The Invisible Way, said: "There's something truly sacred about the way she sang and savoured notes, almost as a form of meditation."

For Geoff Barrow of Portishead and BEAK>, Parker's music with Alan Sparhawk "transcended all the bullshit in the world".  Steve Albini, meanwhile, concluded: "I'm certain that listening to their music made me a better person."

It all rings true.

And if you haven't read Stevie Chick's piece, published earlier in the week, then you should - it does a great job of capturing Low's quiet majesty and Parker's indelible contribution to it (especially with regards to 2001's Things We Lost In The Fire), as well as her intimate and unbreakable connection with Sparhawk.

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