Low’s Alan Sparhawk announces new album with Trampled by Turtles, shares “Stranger”

When Alan Sparhawk of Low released his solo debut, White Roses, Nearer My God, back in September, he let it slip that he’d already made his second album, which was a collaboration with fellow Minnesotans Trampled by Turtles. That album has now been officially announced: Alan Sparhawk With Trampled by Turtles will be out May 30 via Sub Pop.

Sparhawk has known the bluegrass/folk group since their days as a bar band in Duluth when he and the late Mimi Parker served as early mentees for them, and Trampled by Turtles and Sparhawk have played together many times over the years. “There’s a certain vibe that has to do with underdog syndrome, coming from a small town,” Sparhawk says of their chemistry. “Some of it is the weird grind and slackness that being at the mercy of Mother Nature puts in you. It humbles you.”

The record was made in early 2024 when Trampled by Turtles had time carved out at Minnesota’s famed Pachyderm Studios (where Nirvana recorded In Utero), and they invited Alan in to work on a couple songs, which turned into an album, including songs Sparhawk had written during the Low years which never quite worked out with that context.

The first single from the album is the opening track “Stranger,” and for those who found White Roses to be a little too different from Low, this is warm, familiar territory. Listen below.

Alan Sparhawk is on tour starting March 26 in Bloomington, and plays Brooklyn’s Elsewhere Hall on April 2 with African American Sound Recordings. All dates are below.

Alan Sparhawk With Trampled by Turtles
1. Stranger
2. Too High
3. Heaven
4. Not Broken
5. Screaming Song
6. Get Still
7. Princess Road Surgery
8. Don’t Take Your Light
9. Torn & in Ashes

Alan Sparhawk – 2025 Tour Dates
Wed. Mar. 26 – Bloomington, IN – The Bishop
Thu. Mar. 27 – Knoxville, TN – Big Ears Festival
Sat. Mar. 29 – Atlanta, GA – The Earl
Mon. Mar. 31 – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle Back Room
Tue. Apr. 1 – Washington, DC – Atlantis
Fri. Apr. 02 – Brooklyn, NY – Elsewhere
Thu. Apr. 03 – Boston, MA – Sinclair
Fri. Apr. 04 – Hamden, CT – Space Ballroom
Sat. Apr. 05 – Philadelphia, PA – PhilaMOCA
Mon. Apr. 07 – Toronto, ON – Horseshoe
Tue. Apr. 08 – Detroit, MI – Loving Touch
Wed. Apr. 09 – Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall
Thu. Apr. 10 – Minneapolis, MN – First Ave (w/ Mount Eerie)
Fri. Apr. 11 – Milwaukee, WI – Turner Hall (w/ Mount Eerie)
Wed. May 28 – Liverpool, UK – Arts Club
Thu. May 29 – London, UK – EartH
Fri. May 30 – Portsmouth, UK – Wedgewood Rooms
Sat. May 31 – Utrecht, Netherlands – TivoliVredenBurg (Cloud Nine)
Mon. Jun. 02 – Turin, IT- Spazio211
Tue. Jun. 03 – Rome, IT – Largo Venue
Wed. Jun. 04 – Bologna, IT – Express Festival (Locomotiv Club)
Thu. Jun. 05 – Milan, IT- Unaltrofestival – Magnolia
Sat. Jun. 07 – Barcelona, ES – Primavera Festival
Mon. Jun. 09 – Madrid, ES – Sala El Sol
Wed. Jun. 12 – Porto, PT – Primavera Festival
Fri. Jun. 14 – Istanbul, TUR – Blind
Sat. Aug. 02 – Tasov, CZ – Beseda Festival
Sun. Aug. 03 – Katowice, PL – OFF Festival
Tue. Aug. 05 – Copenhagen, DK – Lille Vega
Sat. Aug. 09 – Sicily, IT – Ypsigrock Festival
Mon. Aug. 11- Cambridge, UK – Junction 2
Tue. Aug. 12 – Newcastle, UK – The Cluny
Wed. Aug. 13 – Nottingham, UK – Rescue Rooms
Thu. Aug. 14 – Norwich, UK – Norwich Arts Centre
Fri. Aug. 15, 2025 – Glanusk Park, UK – GreenMan Festival