release date: Feb. 11, 2022
format: vinyl 2lp (gatefold) / digital (20 x File, FLAC)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,06]
producer: James Krivchenia
label: 4AD Records - nationality: USA
Track highlights: 1. "Change" - 3. "Spud Infinity" (4 / 5) (live) - 4. "Certainty" - 5. "Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You" - 6. "Sparrow" - 7. "Little Things" (live) - 10. "Blurred View" - 14. "Wake Me up to Drive" - 16. "12,000 Lines" - 17. "Simulation Swarm" (4 /5) (live) - 19. "The Only Place" - 20. "Blue Lightning"
5th studio album by US folk rock quartet Big Thief is the follow-up to the 2019-album Two Hands, the band's second on 4AD. So far, the band is the same solid ensemble, who have played together under the moniker since 2015 without major changes in a line-up, who all frequented Boston Berklee College of Music, although, they first materialsed as Big Thief following their final exams. Only the function as the band's drummer has changed hands over the years - on the debut Masterpiece (2016) the drummer was Jason Burger, on on that the band's future drummer James Krivchenia is credited as sound technician and 'additional producer', and apart from handling drums on this new one he is also credited as producer. The band consists of vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter Adrianne Lenker, guitarist and vocalist Buck Meek, bassist and keyboardist Max Oleartchik, and drummer James Krivchenia. Since the 2019-album, Lenker has released the fine acoustic double album Songs and Instrumentals, also via 4AD. Lenker is furthermore credited the cover art, she's sound engineer, and together with Krivchenia, she's credited mixing of the album.
Stylewise, their music is often labeled indie rock, and indie seems like a fair desciption but it's obviously more folk rock-founded with elements from alt. country and a new folk-tradition, which seems like a common ground for Fleet Foxes, Band of Horses, Grand Archives etc., who all have listened to Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Nick Drake and the likes without necessarily thinking 'Dylan', as many earlier folk-artists found their inspiration in. Perhaps, Johnny Cash is more likely as another source of inspiration. Lenker writes and sings in a highly original style about obscure characters and peculiar observations. At times she share vocal clour with both Martha Wainwright and Lucinda Williams while her narratives often point to similarities with Mark Kozelek's wondrous daily routines. Musically, Big Thief may also have listened to both Kozelek, Sun Kil Moon and Grant-Lee Phillips. In that respect the band is clearly founded in an American music tradition with input from folk, country and a modern singer / songwriter context. Now and then, the band adjoins other stylistic domains without deviating from their personal expression, but here and there you may come to think Pixies, Modest Mouse or The National as other sources of inspiration.
Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You consists of 20 tracks with a total running time just over 80 minutes - yet it comes as a regular cd-version and as a double vinyl, as well as in digital format via the band's bandcamp-profile.
The album offers original and varied music, and it's such a skilfully crafted and seamless release that it's almost bound to end up in my top-3 list for the year. It's a remarkable effort and the band's finest, and it's highly recommended.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, đNME, Mojo 4 / 5, Pitchfork, Needledrop 9.0 / 10, Uncut 4,5 / 5 stars ]
2022 Favourite releases: 1. Hurray for the Riff Raff Life on Earth - 2. Big Thief Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You - 3. Band of Horses Things Are Great
