Low devotees looking for a place to worship in San Diego have reason to sing hallelujah: Frontman Alan Sparhawk's side project, Retribution Gospel Choir, will play the Loft on Sunday night.
For the past few years, Sparhawk has led Retribution Gospel Choir, a trio much like his other, more famous band, Low, but with a totally different sound. While Low are often classified as "slowcore" -- a genre of which Sparhawk might be considered the godfather -- Retribution Gospel Choir are a rockier, noisier band that doesn't hesitate to employ an upbeat tempo.
Retribution Gospel Choir's self-titled debut came out in 2008, and their latest, 2, was just released on SubPop this month. A little poppier than their debut, this year's 2 is a leap forward for the band. For samples of the their latest work, check out "Workin' Hard" and "Hide It Away."
Fellow Minnesotans Peter Wolf Crier are supporting Retribution Gospel Choir on this tour. The duo released its first album, Inter-Be, to critical acclaim last summer. Check out their songs "Crutch & Cane" and "Hard As Nails" to see what all the fuss is about.
Although I have yet to see Peter Wolf Crier, I did catch Retribution Gospel Choir a couple years ago at the Casbah. It was awesome, and I wouldn't expect Jan. 23 at the Loft to be any different. Get your tickets here.
T. Loper is a writer and photographer for the San Diego music blog Owl and Bear.
