How to listen to Dragon?
February 11, 2022

Big Thief new album 'Dragon...' - "ambitious and unburdened"

"In 20 songs, Big Thief have rambled far beyond the bounds of their previous catalog... 'Dragon...' is as heavy in its lyrical concerns as any previous Big Thief record, and more ambitious in its musical ideas than all of them. But it also sounds unburdened, animated by a newfound sense of childlike exploration and play. Twenty times, it asks 'What should we do now?', and twenty times it finds a new answer" - Pitchfork really appreciates playful new Big Thief album (9.0 score, Best New Music tag). NME finds similar joy: "the band employ some weird methods that ultimately end up making sense; often allowing their varied surroundings to creep into the creative process". Spin calls it "an overwhelming effort, aiming for band’s magnum opus".

Big Thief

Big Thief touch into death and love on ‘Change’, although simply and directly; Robert Glasper does his jazz/hip-hop/r’n’b thing on ‘Shine’; Dean Wareham sends a strong and simple message about loss on ‘As Much As It Was Worth’ - “it hurts, just as much as it was worth”; Sonically, Stick in the Wheel are delicate and gentle combining electronics and folk, emotionally, on ‘The Cuckoo’ they’re quite heavy.

“I was surprised at how much I was writing, because I was in so much pain. I was not in the part of the pain where I was just reflecting on it” - Big Thief's Adrianne Lenker told The New Yorker about writing her solo album after breaking up with her husband, and (still) Big Thief member Buck Meek. She added - “I feel as if my psyche was putting as many things together as I could from my relationship, as many beautiful things as I could, to preserve it into eternity”.

"I hadn’t felt this much love for a new band in 20 years. That was both sad and disturbing. I’m not sure who it says what about, but regardless, I was head over heels in love with Big Thief" - ex-Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer said about his now-favorite band. This week he shared a cover of Big Thief’s 'Not', and in the video he is jamming out on an acoustic guitar, on both of his knees, and you can't even see his head while he sings. That's love and passion!

For the full list go here; the top 10 are below: 10. Purple Mountains: 'Purple Mountains'9. Weyes Blood: 'Titanic Rising'8. Fennesz: 'Agora'7. Helado Negro: 'This Is How You Smile'6. Bad Bunny: 'X 100PRE'5. Solange: 'When I Get Home'4. Angel Olsen: 'All Mirrors'3. Big Thief: 'U.F.O.F.'2. FKA twigs: 'MAGDALENE'1. Lana Del Rey: 'Norman Fucking Rockwell!'

Here the full 70 list; the top 10 spots are taken by the following: 10. Purple Mountains – 'Purple Mountains' 9. Big Thief - 'U.F.O.F.' 8. Angel Olsen – 'All Mirrors' 7. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – 'Ghosteen' 6. Jamila Woods – 'LEGACY! LEGACY!' 5. Dave - 'PSYCHODRAMA' 4. Fontaines D.C. - 'Dogrel'  […]

Brooklyn Vegan has an interesting year-end segment - favourite albums chosen by various musicians. The idea is great, the results so-so. Mostly, the lists are either too narrow or just what you'd expect. Except from the Mountain Goats’ John Darnielle. He's got some straight indie-rock -Purple Mountains and Big Thief, modern hip-hop - clipping., metal - […]

Big Thief this week release new album 'Two Hands', five months after their latest, 'U.F.O.F.', the latest being an "earth twin" to the older one's "celestial" spirit. 'U.F.O.F' was recorded in Washington State's dewy forests, as multi-layered, highly constructed studio work, and 'Two Hands' was recorded almost entirely live in the harsh, decaying desert of El […]

August 17, 2019

Best songs of the week

Tkay Maidza

Stereogum and Brooklyn Vegan made a very good choice of songs released this week (or is it just that the week was just rich witch good releases!?). There are, among many others: 'Nothing Is Safe' by the great experimental rap trio clipping.; 'Not', a "roiling, fraying rock", new song by Big Thief, coming on a […]