The Brooklyn-based indie rock band, Big Thief, released five albums, is a Grammy-nominee, and, most importantly, our Music Discovery.
Who is Big Thief?
Big Thief consists of four graduates of Berklee College of Music. Its members are Adrianne Lenker (guitar, vocals), Buck Meek (guitar, backing vocals), Max Oleartchik (bass), and James Krivchenia (drums). Their first album, “Masterpiece,” is a scrapbook of folk-rock and impressive storytelling. Fan-favorite single, “Paul,” is a beautiful guitar track about how love is not easy for a girl with commitment issues. Leneker tells DIY Magazine, “The future self came and told me the whole story,” explains Lenker, surrealism behind the message. “The ghost of relationship future wrote that song. Looking at heartbreak before it happens, after it happened. It looked like an old film in my head.”
After signing to label 4AD, their third album, released in May 2019, “U.F.O.F.,” received critical acclaim. The project was nominated for “Best Alternative Music Album” at the 62nd Annual Grammys Awards. Additionally, “Not,” a song from their second album of 2019, “Good Hands,” was nominated for “Best Rock Song” and “Best Rock Performance” at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.
“Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You” by Big Thief
Big Thief’s fifth and latest album, “Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You,” came earlier this month. Compared to their previous works, there is a freshness and lightness present on this February release. There is an emphasis on acoustics, vocal twang, and bluegrass guitars. On the album opener, “Change,” the production is quiet and off-the-cuff, sounding natural and relaxing. On its last chorus, Lenker and Meek harmonize in a swell of emotion. They intertwine, “Would you live forever, never die / While everything around passes? / Would you smile forever, never cry?”
There are more blood-pumping guitar moments with single, “Time Wasting.” However, “Simulation Swarm” is more of a stand-out track, with Lenker softly rapping underneath the swell of rhythmic guitars. The melody is unusually blue and happy, not something heard on the radio, but it’s a refreshing pace, different from the rest of the album. And the uniqueness of the track makes it one of the best on the project.
What do you think of this week’s Music Discovery, Big Thief? Let us know in the comments!
