Title Fight: "Two Step"

Silkscreen titled "Star Islands" by Nara Yoshitomo, 2003

I had a big crush on Tanya Donelly in the mid-'90s - oddly enough, it probably started when I heard an a capella group do an amazing version of "Slow Dog" in a cafe. I also had a brief infatuation with Kristen Hersh and Throwing Muses at the same time because of the videos for "Your Ghost" and "Bright Yellow Gun", which were all over MTV's "Alternative Nation". Being ignorant of history, though, I didn't know that there was some shared history between these two stepsister sirens until I found a copy of The Real Ramona (1991), the last Throwing Muses album featuring both of them. I listened to it a few times and then set it aside - I think I was upset that Donelly's two excellent songs were relegated to the album's second half, and placed back to back (as if to get them out of the way). One song from the album that stuck with me, though, was the final track - "Two Step" - it was the only song credited to Donelly and Hirsh, and it seemed like a perfect blend of their assets. A leisurely-paced pop song (unusually gentle for Hirsh's then-current style), the song blended the sisters' guitars and voices over a nice scratchy percussion sound.

Low's "Two-Step" comes from 1999's Secret Name - the opposite end of the decade from The Real Ramona. It was the first Low album I owned, and "Two-Step" was the first Low song that really captivated me. I remember having a negative reaction to the first two tracks on Secret Name on first exposure, particularly "Starfire", where Alan Sparhawk's shrill vocals seemed at odds with everything I'd expected from the band. "Two-Step"'s magic moment won me over, though. It comes at the 1:40 mark - the verse ends, and Mimi Parker's cooing vocals are joined by organ and drums. When she launches into the chorus, eventually to be joined again by Sparhawk, the song takes on an unearthly beauty. Not unlike Throwing Muses' "Two Step", it is a perfect pairing of two people who share a close personal and musical bond. I could go into some rambling metaphor here about the dance of the same name, but I will restrain myself for the sake of you, the reader.

Maybe my perspective is tweaked by knowing that Tanya Donelly left Throwing Muses shortly after recording The Real Ramona, but I think I hear a more complete musical unity in Low's song. Their Title Fight trophy is in the mail.

Winner: LOW

"Two-Step" by Low

"Two Step" by Throwing Muses