Spiritual Streams: Perfume Genius' Favourite Albums | Page 13 of 14 | The Quietus

Baker's Dozen

Artists discuss the 13 records that shaped their lives

12. Low – Things We Lost In The Fire

I was a little older, kind of the end of my teenage years for this one. I think I had dropped out of high school and didn’t know what I was going to do. This album definitely has some of that hymnal quality I love; it’s really minimal but full at the same time. Alan [Sparhawk] and Mimi [Parker] are married and there’s something very sweet about it, but not by eliminating darkness. There’s sweetness and darkness at the same time. It’s about how powerful something can be when it’s so simply presented and prepared.

A lot of people chase that feeling away, as though there’s this certain capacity needed in order to enter into it. Are you comfy with sadness? Do you cry a lot? I cry all the time.

I don’t cry a lot about my own experiences, but I cry a lot during music, commercials, TV, movies, everything. But as far as my own experiences, no. I really look to it as somewhere I can unlock and tap into things. Even though I may seem like a really emotional person, I don’t think I really am in terms of my personal life. I can do it when I’m writing, performing, listening, but daily I don’t really pay attention much and I’m kind of avoidant. I think it’s maybe too overwhelming if I sat down and tried to process. I look to music to do that for me. I really love Mimi and I’m hoping at some point I could really sing like her.

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