It was great to catch up a bit with The Lowest Pair, even if only through email. They have a beautiful new album (Horse Camp), which is a collaboration with Small Town Therapy (Adam Roszkiewicz and Leif Karlstrom). It is definitely worth the listen!!
What was it like to work so closely with another team?
“It was a lovely experience working alongside another team of close friends and musical partners. Small Town Therapy have been an instrumental duo, and Palmer and I’ve been collaborating as songwriters and banjo/guitar players for almost a decade. Each duo already had vocabulary and subtle ways of communicating ideas and preferences, so it felt like there was already a depth of time and a language, even though this particular pairing of pairs was new.” -Kendl
What do you think you have learned or picked up from them and what have they picked up from you?
“It was really satisfying to expand upon instrumental ideas. Even though Palmer and I both have studied our instruments, in The Lowest Pair we are often using them to support our songwriting. We definitely explored more soundscapes and melodies with Leif and Adam. And they mentioned that they were enjoying adding melodic vibes and hooks to our songs.” -Kendl
Chandelier is a song that strikes me – the idea that “every day can you to you on like a chandelier” or that the house could burn down in the middle of the night. There’s a feeling like each day is a new possibility or a new disaster and that this isn’t the first time we’ve had these possibilities ahead of us. I’d like to know more about the origin of the song please.
“I should let Palmer elaborate on this, since it’s his song.”- Kendl
I think you’re not far off, nothing to disagree with in your take of the song! I like how this generalizes the concept and could be useful magic for people. The song, for me/from me, is a little more dark, subtle, personal. Its a song about mental health, a touch of self-sabotage, a touch of self-defeating cycles, a touch of simple circumstance. For instance; the line, “sometimes the wiring just aint right (and the house burns down in the middle of the night)” is about considering one’s lot in the neurological lottery. It sure seems that there are some things we can help and some we can’t but try and work with.” – Palmer
If you could choose the excitement of a tour or the quiet, creative campfires of 2020 that led to Horse Camp, where would you be tonight?
“Ha, to be honest, I do prefer the creative process of song crafting and constructing arrangements, and recording, to the performance. I love sitting around campfires and sharing songs with friends, or being home with a cup of coffee and my banjo and finding melodies. But there’s not one with out the other. I missed being able to share our songs and the energy/connection of live audiences, and there’s nothing like a good show to make you feel like it all makes sense. I like it all in cycles.” -Kendl
This album includes an instrumental by each performer. They are evocative and lovely. I’m wondering if you shared with each other what inspired the song or do you feed off the music alone? (And of course, please feel free to tell us a little bit more about the back stories if you’re so inclined!)
“We did all kind of speak to what the instrumentals meant to us. Though I think we all also feel like they are there to be interpreted as such… There are words in the names, but otherwise it’s for the listener to apply meaning.” -Kendl
Mostly Minnesota 