Duluth native Nat Harvie and Alan Sparhawk, known for his work in Duluth band Low, have been friends and musical collaborators for several years. Harvie released their album New Virginity in June of 2024; Sparhawk contributed guitar and vocals to one track, "Red." In September, Sparhawk released his solo album White Roses, My God, which Harvie co-produced. The album was notable as being his first solo album since the death of his wife, Mimi Parker, from cancer in 2022. That loss meant the end of, Low, the band the pair led for more than two decades, leaving Sparhawk to find a way to move forward on his own. "Can U Hear," the first single released, gave a clue that Sparhawk's album would take the electronic experimentation of Low's final albums a step further, with synths replacing guitar and pitch-shifted vocals rendering his voice unrecognizable. The North's Christine Dean talked with the two musicians about how they came to collaborate and about their respective albums when they joined us on the Local on October 16, 2024. Harvie has a show at Sacred Heart Music Center on October 23 that will feature Sparhawk as well as musician Molly Raben performing on the venue's renowned Felgemaker organ.
Listen to New Virginity and White Roses, My God: