The Lowest Pair

Always As Young As We’ll Ever Be

Team Love Records

The Lowest Pair is an American folk band consisting of dual banjoists Kendl Winter of Olympia, Washington, and Palmer T. Lee of Minneapolis, Minnesota, who also plays guitar. Formed in 2013, the band takes its name from a poem by musician John Hartford. They are signed to Team Love Records and recorded their debut album, 36 Cents, in 2014. Their previous release was 2020’s The Perfect Plan. This new recording is the band’s seventh album overall and their first studio album in six years. All of the songs were written by Winter and Lee, and the album was produced, mixed, and engineered by Tucker Martine at Flora Recording and Playback.

Always As Young As We’ll Ever Be is a ten-song collection that doesn’t try to escape life’s problems, but instead sits with them, finding wonder in uncertainty and grace in imperfection. Additional musicians include Adam Roszkiewicz on guitar, mandolin, and Modular Synch; Leif Karlstrom on fiddle; Sydney Nash on bass; and J.T. Bates on drums.

The album opens with “Give It All Away,” where the duo sings, “Don’t you feel the lightest when you give it all away… holding on gets heavy.” “Diamonds” follows, celebrating resilience with Winter and Lee chiming together in harmony.

On “The Uncertain Seas,” Kendl and Palmer explore the challenges of navigating a relationship as they sing, “I told you my heart was wide, hard to make it to the other side. You said you’d build a bridge or wade across… I’m getting tired of sitting on the shore of the uncertain sea.” The mood turns inward on “What Is This,” with the duo moaning through a moment of emotional confusion.

“Tiny Rebellions” reflects on the realization that light can follow darkness, while “Quantum Physics” frames love as shifting energy, capturing the unpredictable nature of connection.

“Casually Getting the Job Done” finds the duo leaning into determination and resolve, while “Shitty Light” reveals a personal awakening, eyes open and unguarded.

“Spilled the Beans” continues the album’s honest, conversational tone, and the closing track, “Thorn,” brings the record to a reflective and intimate finish as the duo croons together.

On Always As Young As We’ll Ever Be, The Lowest Pair remind us that love, grief, joy, disappointment, failure, and renewal are all part of the same beautiful cycle—one that touches us individually while quietly binding us together.

Richard Ludmerer

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