Big Thief has run the folk scene with the face of the band, Adrianne Lenker, who continues to showcase her prowess as one of the greatest voices of the generation. Known for their twinkly guitar rifts and raw singing, they create a combination that keeps a listener drawn in and in awe.
Before the release of this album, Big Thief had problems within the band, as bassist Max Olearthik left the band in July 2024 for the listed cause of “interpersonal reasons”. The band called this a time for reinvention and the killing of an old era of their music.
The album begins with lead single “Incomprehensible,” a track diving into personal issues of self-understanding and aging. We can see this in lyrics such as “I’m afraid of getting older, that’s what I’ve learned to say / Society has given me the words to think that way / The message spirals, ‘Don’t get saggy, don’t get grey’ / But the soft and lovely silvers are now fallin’ on my shoulder.”
“I’m afraid of growing older, that’s what I’ve learned to say, ” is a call to the culture of aging, not one that corresponds positively with beauty. She’s disagreeing with that, though, as she takes a positive spin, stating, “But the soft and lovely silvers are now fallin’ on my shoulder”.
Contrary to society’s norm of being afraid of the physical changes that come with age, Lenker instead embraces it, thinking of it as a “lovely” transformation. She believes that this mindset may be incomprehensible to some, hence the song’s title.
On the track “Words,” the highlight falls onto the acoustics of the performance; the drums sound as if they’re being played right in front of you. Big Thief’s music tends to have this quality due to the band recording all parts of the music in one room. It’s a choice most musicians don’t make, as there is a fear that it may harm the recording quality. For Big Thief, however, their music is meant to be raw. It’s why the music is so powerful, it sounds tangible, as if the band was in arm’s reach of you.
The song’s lyrics reflect this as well: “At night when I’m sleeping, I feel you breathing, It’s subconscious, Subconscious / Only ever half home, I’m Only ever half alone,” expresses Lenker’s intimacy and attachment issues to a partner, allowing them to subconsciously live within her mind even when not present.
Relationships are a key topic of Big Thief’s music, creating a majority of their songs about them. This album is no exception; the use of symbolism is often and flows, for example, “Swallow poison, swallow sugar / Sometimes they taste the same / But I know your love is neither / And love is just a name.”
The continued use of symbolism is clear; Lenker doesn’t tend to use direct wording to convey her emotions, leading to a dynamic experience for any listener. You can get whatever you want out of Big Thief’s music, and that’s part of the appeal.
From the continued success of Big Thief reaching new heights to filling the gap of indie rock and country, they’re undeniably good. As far as music can go objectively, Big Thief hits the mark. It’s a must-listen album for anyone, whether a fan of their music or unfamiliar.
