ACL Artist Interview: The Low Anthem

Brown University isn't the first place you'd think of when hearing about a new Americana band full of banjos, fiddles, and pump organs. But that's the point of origin for The Low Anthem, a recent signing to Nonesuch Records who have toured with Bon Iver and Elvis Perkins in support of their reissued disc Oh My God, Charlie Darwin. The album features everything from quiet folk pieces to stomping blues numbers, along with a Tom Waits cover and a healthy dose of weighty lyrics about mortality. We recently emailed The Low Anthem's Jeff Prystowsky, who responded between shows on a lengthy European tour.

You're living in the cold Northeast and we're in the boiling Southwest. Do you think that your natural environment and climate effects the music and lyrics you produce?

Yes, that quintessential Northeast feel. It's hard to recreate. Something about the harshness of that first Pilgrim's winter gets into your bloodstream and forges you like a blacksmith's iron rod.

Since the current album was re-issued, are you playing a lot of newer material now, or are you still focusing on Charlie Darwin?

We have a lot of new songs. Probably shouldn't be playing them live yet, but so it goes. You know, you get eager. Can't wait to put out the next album. Right now, we're playing a 75/25 mix of old and new ones. That's a numerical assessment straight from the horse's mouth for you Vegas set-list gamblers out there.

Your tour schedule looks both amazing and frightening in terms of length. Have you completely forgotten who you are and where you started yet?

I wouldn't say I forget who I am or where I started, but I would say I forget where I am. It happens all the time. Also, what day it is, what time it is, and what the currency is.

On a similar note, there's a line on the record about "trading hard-earned time for pay." Does working as a traveling musician lessen the burden of this somewhat?

The line you quote does not speak of a burden. It speaks of a deal struck. It's about dignity.

When playing at festivals to audiences that are less familiar with your work, does switching from "Charlie Darwin" to a track like "Horizon is a Beltway" scare the hell out of some people?

Yes, and it's a beautiful moment when it happens. Fear, love, and a bit of drunkeness make for the best audience.

Finally, you guys swap instruments quite a bit. Have you ever had any knock-down, drag-out arguments that started with "Damn it, I'm playing the banjo on this one!"

It happens. But in the arranging room, we're focused on finding that perfect blend of frequencies that makes the song come alive. Any blood spilled between us, as is stipulated in the band's constitution, is in the service of that noble cause.

The Low Anthem will perform at ACL Festival on Friday, October 2 at 12:20pm on the Austin Ventures stage.

The Low Anthem: [official] [MySpace]