Biography
Sparrow Steeple have shaped a singular strain of lo-fi psychedelic indie rock laced with folk and progressive influences, operating as a mischievously unruly unit whose sound arises from the friction among several players moving along parallel yet independent courses. Luminous yet jagged melodies, stacked instrumental passages that frequently fail to align yet yield demanding sonic fabrics, and vocals evoking a stylized low-rent approximation of Bryan Ferry define their approach. What began as a raw, haphazard lo-fi indie project with the 2008 album Rangefinder looked like an isolated effort until the group resurfaced in 2015 with the EP SteEPle Twö, which unveiled the broader, more whimsical direction that reached its height on 2019’s Tin Top Sorcerer.
An offshoot of the Philadelphia lo-fi ensemble Strapping Fieldhands, Sparrow Steeple was initiated by that band’s drummer and percussionist Jeff Werner together with visual artist Barry Goldberg on vocals, guitar, and percussion. Guitarist Bob Mallow later entered the fold. Their first recording, the 2008 album Rangefinder issued on Strapping Fieldhands’ own Omphalos Records label, appeared as a modest CD-R. Activity resumed only with the 2015 EP SteEPle Twö, which introduced substantial personnel adjustments: Mallow exited while Fieldhands alumni Jacy Webster (guitar and keyboards) and Bob Dickie (bass and cello) joined Werner and Goldberg, alongside keyboardist Dustin Burrows and Harmonica Dan, also known as Dan Bacler, on harmonica. The revised lineup spurred renewed productivity, producing the full-length Steeple Two in January 2017 on the independent Richie Records imprint, the EP A Aardvark in November 2017 through Ever/Never, and several digital singles across 2017 and 2018. Sparrow Steeple returned in April 2019 with their third album, Tin Top Sorcerer, marking their debut release for Chicago-based Trouble in Mind Records.
An offshoot of the Philadelphia lo-fi ensemble Strapping Fieldhands, Sparrow Steeple was initiated by that band’s drummer and percussionist Jeff Werner together with visual artist Barry Goldberg on vocals, guitar, and percussion. Guitarist Bob Mallow later entered the fold. Their first recording, the 2008 album Rangefinder issued on Strapping Fieldhands’ own Omphalos Records label, appeared as a modest CD-R. Activity resumed only with the 2015 EP SteEPle Twö, which introduced substantial personnel adjustments: Mallow exited while Fieldhands alumni Jacy Webster (guitar and keyboards) and Bob Dickie (bass and cello) joined Werner and Goldberg, alongside keyboardist Dustin Burrows and Harmonica Dan, also known as Dan Bacler, on harmonica. The revised lineup spurred renewed productivity, producing the full-length Steeple Two in January 2017 on the independent Richie Records imprint, the EP A Aardvark in November 2017 through Ever/Never, and several digital singles across 2017 and 2018. Sparrow Steeple returned in April 2019 with their third album, Tin Top Sorcerer, marking their debut release for Chicago-based Trouble in Mind Records.
Albums
Singles
