Features

Today, we’re thrilled to sit down with Christine Atturio, vocalist and guitarist of Boston-based punk/indie outfit Little Low, as the band gears up to release their fiery debut LP 'Sunshine Guilt,' out May 9 via Sell The Heart Records (USA), Thousand Island Records (Canada), and Waterslide Records (Japan). With an irresistible blend of introspective lyricism, melodic twinkle-core guitars, and emotionally raw delivery, Little Low channel the spirit of emo torchbearers like The Get Up Kids, Hey Mercedes, and Jimmy Eat World—yet carve out a sound that's unmistakably their own.

Formed by Atturio (Save Ends) and Mike Assatly (Beartrap), and rounded out by Tom Ciesluk and Brad Rheault (Save Ends, No Trigger), the band’s debut is a cathartic exploration of love, loss, and the lingering ache of bittersweet memories—wrapped in hooks that beg to be shouted back by a packed room of kindred souls. Recorded at Anchor End by Trevor Reilly of A Wilhelm Scream, Sunshine Guilt is as much about feeling low as it is about lifting each other up.

We're also excited to exclusively premiere their new single, “Shade of Gray”—a track that perfectly encapsulates the band’s emotionally-charged, melodic punch. Before we hit play, let’s hear from Christine herself about the record, the scene, and what comes next for Little Low.

PRT: Little Low started out as an acoustic solo project. You released an EP in 2022 as a full band and now there's your first full-length. How have the band dynamics changed now that you have been a band longer?

Christine: Since starting the full band version of Little Low we’ve had a line up change due to moving across the country twice in two years. The first EP was recorded and released while myself and my partner Mike (drummer) were living in the Bay Area of California. We started the band with our friends Eric Pocock (Discourage) and Kris Moya (Jabber, Long Knives). Mike and I moved back to MA in the fall of 2023 and so that meant we needed to change the line up to continue the band on the East Coast so I asked my former band mates from Save Ends to join. But all-in-all its always been about spending time with good friends and making music.

PRT: How different was writing the album compared to the 'Reasons To Grow' EP?

Christine: I wrote the Reasons to Grow songs during the early days of the Pandemic in 2020-2021. Without band practice happening I started to use Garageband as my band practice. The built in drummer stuff helped me give some life to my usual guitar demos and map out the vibe I wanted for the songs. I ended up finding this to be a super intuitive way for me to structure music so I used the same process for writing the Sunshine Guilt songs. A lot of them were written in California and a few of the newer ones were written when we moved back. Generally I make a Garageband Demo and then bring it to practice for all of us to fine tune together.

PRT: I read that you recorded the EP live to tape in two and a half days. Did you record the album the same way?

Christine: I wanted to spend some more time recording for the LP. We did it instrument by instrument and took about 10 days total to record all these songs with Trevor Reilly at Anchor End.

PRT: You are all in other bands as well like Save Ends, No Trigger and BearTrap. I'm not too sure how active they all are, but how does Little Low fit into your schedules?  

Christine: Save Ends is not currently active so for me its easy! But Mike plays in a second band called Unseemlier and Tom C (guitar) is in THREE active bands - Massive Nightmares and MK Naomi on top of Little Low. We just try to be really cognisent of everyone’s time and energy so that it can always be a fun thing we get to do outside of our work lives.

 

PRT: Maybe a lame question, but what exactly is Sunshine Guilt?

Christine: Being a New Englander I’m accustomed to a lot of gray days where it feels like you have permission to lay on the couch cuz it sucks out. But when I was living in California and the sun was always out I found myself feeling guilty for wanting to stay inside some days. Turns out that’s a feeling a lot of people experience and the internet started referring to it as Sunshine Guilt. I wrote a song about that feeling and then ended up wanting to use it as the album name because so much of this was written in California.

PRT: You worked with Trevor Reilly for the album… is that the Trevor Reilly from A Wilhelm Scream? How did that come about and what was it that he brought to the table?

Christine: Yes! I’d known for awhile that Trevor had a studio and had been waiting for the chance to work with him. He really wants to capture the individual sound of the bands that he’s recording so we used all the same gear the we use for shows. Anyone that’s seen us knows that means a lot of Orange Tiny Terrors and Mike’s Ludwig Vistalite kit.

Trevor is also is incredibly patient with vocals and wants to get the best performance out of you. He would really push me to sing it like I meant it. I came out of the booth most days sweating. Like I was really putting myself through it in there!

PRT: Musically, I'm hearing some influences by Jimmy Eat World and The Get Up Kids with the drums adding some almost hardcore energy, while the vocals have more in common with a band like Letters To Cleo. Is that the kind of sound you wanted to go for right from the start?

Christine: I love that you mentioned the drumming because Mike grew up mainly playing in hardcore bands and I think its cool that his style translates so well into the music we’re playing. I write songs that I would like to hear, and The Get Up Kids have been my favorite band forever so I think that’s what ends up coming out of me naturally.  

PRT: We are premiering the track 'Shade Of Gray'. Can you tell me a bit more about where that one came from?

Christine: I actually wrote this song in 2014. I played it acoustic forever. I was almost going to record it for my first demo but opted not to.

Sometimes when I can’t think of a new song I’ll take an old acoustic song and see if I can make it full band. When I started to work on the demo I got so excited, I was obsessed with the lead and the faster pace of the song. It gave me Replacements vibes. Lyrically it came from a time in my life when I was feeling particularly lost as a person and knew I needed to do some work on myself. Which is definitely a theme of a lot of my music.

PRT: What's up next for Little Low once the album is out?

Christine: We have our Record Release show Friday May 9 at Deep Cuts in Medford with Hedge, Sad Lands, and Cape Crush. Deep Cuts is an awesome locally owned venue and brewery. We’re going to have a special beer made called Dark Beer Archives Black IPA. I can not wait to try it.

Next up May 10 we’re playing an amazing Brooklyn show with Sad Lands, MakeWar, Fivehundred Bucks (also their record release!) and Timeshares. The next weekend we’ll be playing Pouzza Fest in Montreal and in June we get to play with A Wilhelm Scream and Oh The Humanity at Taffeta in Lowell. And we’re currently planning an East Coast tour for the end of July. So lots of good stuff to look forward to and more to come!