Alan Sparhawk – Stranger

Alan Sparhawk, best known as half of the beloved indie band Low, has announced his second solo album, With Trampled By Turtles, which will be released on May 30, 2025, via Sub Pop Records. The album, recorded at the iconic Pachyderm Studios in Minnesota, is a collaborative effort with the bluegrass-infused band Trampled By Turtles, fellow Minnesotans and long-time friends of Sparhawk.

In 2022, Sparhawk ventured into solo territory with last year’s White Roses, My God, an album steeped in grief and experimental production. His collaboration with Trampled By Turtles emerged from their shared Duluth roots and years of mutual admiration. As Sparhawk puts it, “When the opportunity seems right, you jump.”

The album’s lead single, “Stranger”, perfectly encapsulates the unique chemistry between Sparhawk and Trampled By Turtles. The song leans heavily on the band’s acoustic folk sound, with harmonies and banjo melodies that offer a rustic warmth to Sparhawk’s vocals. The accompanying music video, edited by Jacob Kasar, visually mirrors the song’s haunting beauty, with vocal harmonies soaring in a communal embrace.

The recording process itself was a testament to creative spontaneity. Sparhawk arrived at Pachyderm Studios during the final stretch of Trampled By Turtles’ session in late 2023, bringing along unfinished songs, some of which never entirely worked for Low. The group’s improvisational style brought those pieces to life.

“Stranger” is only the first taste of the record, but it’s already clear that Sparhawk’s collaboration with Trampled By Turtles has tapped into something special. The track’s melancholic beauty blends both artists’ strengths, fusing Sparhawk’s emotional depth with Trampled By Turtles’ rustic, harmony-driven style.

As Sparhawk prepares to tour the U.S. and Europe to support the album, fans can expect to see him revisit his past while boldly moving forward.