Low's Mimi Parker had a voice that let the light in

Plus, 'The Lion King' celebrates 25 years on Broadway at the Tiny Desk

View this email online Nov. 12, 2022 by Marissa Lorusso This week, we’re sharing a remembrance of singer and drummer Mimi Parker; plus, a special performance from the cast of The Lion King on Broadway. Timothy Hiatt/Getty Images Last weekend, singer and drummer Mimi Parker, of the critically acclaimed rock band Low, died. She was 55, and had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2020. Parker’s voice was singular and her contributions were essential to the band’s sound.  My colleague Stephen Thompson wrote about listening to Parker for three decades, and I think he really captures what made her so remarkable. “Even as the Minnesota band's sound grew busier, darker and more challenging, Parker remained an artist of uncommon restraint,” he writes. “She drummed with brushes and mallets, her words restricted to an impactful minimum. But even when she ceded the vocal spotlight to her musical partner and husband, Alan Sparhawk, her presence was unwavering, unpretentious, commanding, vital.” If you aren’t familiar with Low’s music, Stephen suggests “The Plan,” a beautiful track from the band’s early days. I first heard Low’s music when a friend showed me the 2001 album Things We Lost In The Fire, the band’s fifth album, which opens with “Sunflower.” And although I encountered it about a decade after it was released, I felt like I had never heard anything else like it before. I was immediately transfixed by the band’s thoughtful, minimalist and patient sound — exactly that powerful restraint Stephen mentioned — and the intense beauty of Parker and Sparhawk’s harmonies. The music was my gateway to falling in love with many slowcore artists who were Low’s peers and inheritors, and Things We Lost In The Fire is still a record I turn to often. But what has really astounded me about Low’s music is how the band continued to innovate throughout its three-decade career. I thought I had a sense of what the band was capable of — but then, in 2018, Low released its 12th album, Double Negative, and that record’s noisy, ambitious, corroded sound blew me away, as did the continued adventurousness of last year’s Hey What. It was thrilling to watch the band explore new elements of its sound and hit a new peak so deep into its career. “I have been pushing towards the beauty,” Parker told NPR last year in an interview about Hey What, “and I know Alan sometimes focuses on the chaos.” That duality, and the relationship between Parker and Sparhawk, defined Low’s sound — wherever they took it.  In a statement on Twitter announcing Parker’s death, Sparhawk honored that beauty: “Keep her name close and sacred,” he said. “Share this moment with someone who needs you. Love is indeed the most important thing.” Newsletter continues after sponsor message More to read, watch and hear This past July, historic floods swept through Central Appalachia, ravaging eastern Kentucky in particular. Three months later, the floods have receded from national headlines — but that doesn’t mean the catastrophe is over. This week, Stephanie Wolf of NPR member station WFPL in Louisville, Ky., shared a report on how eastern Kentucky’s music community was impacted by the floods — the venues, music schools, rare instruments and priceless archives that all sustained damages — and how the scene is rebuilding.  This week on New Music Friday from All Songs Considered: Bruce Springsteen's tribute to classic soul, the bare-knuckled debut EP from Memphis rapper GloRilla, a gorgeous new Blue Note release from jazz guitarist and composer Bill Frisell and more great albums out on Nov. 11. This week on the NPR Classical playlist: an 80th birthday salute to pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim, with tracks that span his amazing career, which includes playing Chopin on a piano he designed himself and conducting Wagner, Boulez and Bruckner. Brazilian singer Gal Costa, who died this week at 77, was a key figure in the Tropicália movement of the late 1960s, and her voice was a sharp instrument in collaborations with artists like Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso.  Natalia Lafourcade’s recent projects have focused on her interpretations of classic Latin American folk genres. But eventually, it was time for her to return to her own songs — to, as the Mexican singer-songwriter put it, tend to her “inner garden.” This week, she spoke with Alt.Latino about that process and about her first album of original material in seven years. Tiny Desk NPR To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Broadway musical The Lion King, the show’s cast and musicians spent their day off behind the Tiny Desk, performing familiar hits like "Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” "Hakuna Matata” and a selection of songs written just for the stage. Also from the Tiny Desk this week: a quiet, cinematic set from Lizzy McAlpine and a high-energy performance from the Ezra Collective. One More Thing Gleefully, fictionally Weird. Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to hear live radio from WMFE (edit station). Need a new playlist? Follow NPR Music on Spotify and Apple Music What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: nprmusic@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Books, Pop Culture, Health and more! 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