Pitchfork

[Posted Tuesday, September 9th, 2003 03:40:00 Pitchfork Central Time]

Low has just released a limited edition three-song EP entitled Murderer on writer-director Cameron Crowe's vinyl-only label, Vinyl Records (duh). The EP is second in a series of limited ten-inch EP's released on Vinyl (the first was Duk Koo Kim from Red House Painters' Mark Kozelek, already sold out). Tracklist:

01 Murderer
02 Silver Rider
03 From Your Place on Sunset

When the folks at Vinyl say limited, they aren't messing around-- though just how severely scarce the records will be is a topic of some small debate. The label site claims each release in the ten-inch series will be limited to 1000 copies in America and 500 in Europe. However, when we were initially tipped off about this story by distribution insider and deep-cover Pitchfork snitch Nate Hileman, we were told a mere 800 copies would be pressed.

Either way, you can buy the EP online at pastemusic.com, who dug up a quote from Low's Alan Sparhawk about Murderer, which we shall now repeat: "[This opportunity] came at an interesting time for Low... we had been on tour and were anxious to try out some new songs. The prospect of recording at home brought back the memories of doing the Low Christmas EP at home, several years ago. Sometimes odd projects like this give a band license to throw their preconceptions out the window and do things a little off from the norm... We are still reeling from the great time we had doing some shows with Radiohead this summer, but are taking most of the rest of the year off from the road to write and prepare to record early next year."

Speaking of the Radiohead tour, check the Low site if you want to be regaled with stories of poking through Johnny Greenwood's equipment and marveling at the band's caterers: Sparhawk has posted a tour diary.

Low have just three shows scheduled for the remainder of the year, to which a December stop in Chicago may be added. But first, Sparhawk will be touring this month and next with his other band, Black Eyed Snakes, who just released their second full-length, Rise Up! last month.

Black Eyed Snakes dates:

09-12 Eau Claire, WI - Stone's Throw
09-13 Duluth, MN - NorShor Theatre
09-18 Minneapolis, MN - Triple Rock
09-19 Chicago, IL - Schuba's
09-20 Milwaukee, WI - Cactus Club
09-21 Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop
09-22 Pittsburgh, PA - Rex Theater
09-23 Brooklyn, NY - South Paw
09-24 New York, NY - Sin-e
09-25 Boston, MA - Middle East
09-26 Philadelphia, PA - Doc Watson's
09-28 Mt. Pleasant, SC - Village Tavern
09-29 Atlanta, GA - The Earl
09-30 Nashville, TN - The End
10-01 Memphis, TN - Hi-Tone
10-02 Denton, TX - Rubber Gloves
10-03 Austin, TX - Emo's Jr.
10-04 Norman, OK - The Opalis

Low dates:

10-16 Minneapolis, MN - Triple Rock Social Club
10-17 Minneapolis, MN - Triple Rock Social Club
12-03 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom