The Low Anthem

The Low Anthem

The Low Anthem are a folk group from Providence, United States. They form in 2006 and remain active. The band’s current line-up includes Ben Knox Miller, Jeff Prystowsky, Florence Wallis, Bryan Minto and Andy Davis, while earlier members include Daniel Lefkowitz, Jocie Adams and Mat Davidson. Miller and Prystowsky remain the only constant members through a changing line-up.

Formation and early years

Ben Knox Miller and Jeffrey Prystowsky meet while DJing an overnight jazz show on the Brown University station WBRU. They also become teammates on a local wood-bat baseball team, the Providence Grays. Before forming The Low Anthem, they play together in a range of ensembles that move between classical, jazz and electronica. The band begins in Providence in 2006.

Daniel Lefkowitz joins in late 2006 and contributes the song “This God Damn House”. He leaves early in 2007. Jocie Adams joins later in 2007 after a late-night recording session for What the Crow Brings. She is a classical composer and clarinetist, and the former NASA employee and fellow student appears on vocals and clarinet on “Coal Mountain Lullaby”. She later leaves in 2013 to focus on Arc Iris.

Albums and recording

The band releases five albums under its own name: The Low Anthem, What the Crow Brings, Oh My God, Charlie Darwin, Smart Flesh and Eyeland. What the Crow Brings is recorded in Miller’s and Prystowsky’s apartments over several months. The group self-releases it and handles much of the production themselves, including packaging and hand-finishing copies.

Oh, My God, Charlie Darwin is also self-released and recorded over ten days on Block Island in winter with engineer and co-producer Jesse Lauter. After completing it, the band hand-paints and silkscreens the first 2,000 copies. The album is later rereleased after re-mastering, with new artwork and a resequenced track order.

Smart Flesh is recorded from December 2009 to February 2010 in the abandoned Porino’s pasta sauce factory in Central Falls, Rhode Island. Jesse Lauter engineers the sessions and Mike Mogis of Bright Eyes mixes the album. The band also releases “Ghost Woman Blues” as a free download ahead of the album. Eyeland follows in 2016.

Membership changes and side projects

Matt Davidson becomes a member shortly before the autumn 2009 tour and plays his final show in July 2011. Mike Irwin then replaces him, and Tyler Osborne joins in December 2011. The band also records a free album under the alias Snake Wagon, titled Have Fun With Snake Wagon, using material from the Smart Flesh sessions. It also records a soundtrack album for the film Arcadia.

Labels, recognition and live activity

The Low Anthem sign to Nonesuch and Bella Union. Through touring, they gain recognition in the United Kingdom when Rough Trade Shops names Oh, My God, Charlie Darwin an Album of the Month. End of the Road Festival books the band and issues a 7-inch single of “Charlie Darwin”.

The group plays major festivals including Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Newport Folk Festival and Austin City Limits in the United States, and Glastonbury, Hyde Park Calling, Wireless and End of the Road in the UK. Their television appearances include Later... with Jools Holland and The Late Show with David Letterman. They also tour with The Avett Brothers and headline shows across Europe and the United States, including a headline show at Shepherds Bush Empire.