Roughly a year ago, while still processing my grief at the passing of Mimi Parker and the de facto end of the LDS Indie-band Low, I posted a Low album primer for the curious, wherein I provided a brief summary of each of their major LP and EP releases. With the exception of their two live albums One More Reason to Forget and Paris ’99: “Anthony, Are You Around?” (which you can still download directly from my dropbox via those hyperlinks), the primer focused primarily on the albums you can still easily access via streaming, iTunes, or CD and vinyl purchase.

However, as tends to be the case with an Indie-band whose career spans nearly three decades and multiple record labels, Low has a smattering of stunningly-beautiful EPs that, for whatever reason, are simply unavailable anywhere–not to stream, not to download, not even to buy (except for a few rare used-copies from third-party sellers)–that weren’t even compiled onto the 2004 boxset. In the interests of preserving their wider circulation and as a public service, I have included free download links for some of their rarest EPs below.

Bombscare (2000)

This gorgeous four-song CD was recorded in collaboration with the British electronica group Springheel Jack, and predates Low’s first electronic album Drums and Guns by 7 years. It was quietly released in between the fan-favorite Secret Name and Christmas albums in 1999, and the critically-acclaimed Things We Lost In The Fire in 2001, which probably explains why this EP has slipped between the cracks. (In fairness, it is also available–albeit overpriced–on Springheel Jack’s Bandcamp page.)

Murderer (EP) (2003)

This one is my white whale, honestly: a limited-run vinyl-only release from 2003, that includes early versions of “Murderer” and “Silver Rider” that are different from the ones that ended up on Drums and Guns and The Great Destroyer, as well as the ultra-rare B-Side “From Your Place on Sunset,” which anticipates the apocalyptic California wildfires. I’m afraid that all I have available here is a second-hand vinyl rip (the absolute cheapest physical copy I’ve been able to find online is over $50–if anyone wanted to buy me one). But even in compressed form here, it is haunting.

Live at Eindhoven (2010)

This digital-only EP, recorded live at St. Catherina Church in the Netherlands, was very briefly released for free in 2010 in order to: 1) capitalize on Robert Plant’s then-recent covers of “Monkey” and “Silver Rider” for his solo album Band of Joy; and 2) drum up an email list in the run up to C’mon, which was to be their first new studio album in four years (their longest ever gap between records). Besides being the only other authorized live release by Low since Paris ’99, it is notable for a piano-inflected version of “Silver Rider,” an organ-intro to “Monkey,” and an anguished rendition of “July” that I find even more passionate than the album version.

C’mon Acoustic (2011)

This limited-run CD was released solely as a special bonus for those who pre-ordered C’mon in 2011. As the title indicates, this EP features acoustic versions of five songs from the main album, and as such can serve as a pleasant palette-cleanser.

The Visible End (2013)

The C’mon Acoustic promotion was successful enough that they offered another exclusive promo CD for those who pre-ordered The Invisible Way in 2013. This four-song EP, however, is more adventurous than C’mon Acoustic, and leads off with a remixed version of “So Blue” that I love even more than the LP version (and that’s really saying something). It also includes two much more interesting versions of “Clarence White,” and a demo of “Some Holy Ghost.”

“Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” (2021)

One of the last songs covered by Low was “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door,” for a Bob Dylan tribute album available only in the April 2021 issue of Uncut and nowhere else. Given how the band would abruptly end the following year (Mimi was already quietly battling cancer at this point), this cover proved to be prophetic (perhaps even a tad on the nose).

If any of those download links don’t function, please contact me.