Posts Tagged ‘Masterpiece’

BIG THIEF – ” Live at SXSW Austin Texas ” 15th March 2017

Posted: March 21, 2017 in MUSIC
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For Big Thief, fragility and power come inextricably intertwined. Singer and guitarist Adrianne Lenker may let her songs sit and seethe for long stretches, but those slow builds only maximize the catharsis of the big, loud, high-volume bursts of force that follow.
Onstage at Stubb’s BBQ in Austin, Texas — recorded live Wednesday as part of NPR Music’s SXSW showcase  Lenker brought a mix of new material and songs from last year’s terrific album “Masterpiece”. Throughout the set, Big Thief’s sound billowed out in grand waves, matching the large stage and open-air setting, and by the end of “Masterpiece” (the band’s signature song so far), Lenker was on her back, lost in the intensity of the moment. It felt like just the beginning for a band with a big, bright future.

Set List
“Orange”
“Real Love”
“Vegas”
“Shoulders”
“Paul”
“Shark Smile”
“Parallels”
“Masterpiece”
“Mary”

BIG THIEF – ” Dandelion “

Posted: December 17, 2016 in MUSIC
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2016 was quite the year for Big Thief. Their debut album, “Masterpiece” (now available on cassette for the first time), was released to universal acclaim , NPR listeners voted them the No1 bandof 2016, The Guardian named them one of the 50 most exciting independent artists in the world, they performed on NPR’s World Cafe and the Tiny Desk Concert, played Central Park’s Summerstage, toured the world,  Those are just Some of their highlights.

New 7″ Containing Solo Versions Of ‘MASTERPIECE’ And New Track ‘DANDELION’ 

First pressing limited to 500 copies, Big Thief are proud to unveil a 7″ containing solo acoustic performances from frontwoman Adrianne Lenker, here recorded by Luke Temple of Here We Go Magic, all adorned with a cover painting by Temple.

Put to tape one wintry day in early 2016, the recordings find Temple capturing Lenker in a searching, intimate performance. They offer a first public hearing for ‘Dandelion’, a beguiling new song from Lenker’s visionary pen; while the version of ‘Masterpiece contained here casts a new light on the title track of their acclaimed debut LP.

Explaining how the recordings came about, Lenker says: “On tour with Here We Go Magic, our van, Bonnie, broke down in the Rocky Mountains. We really didn’t want to miss any shows. Fortunately, Here We Go kindly offered me the empty seat in their truck, and I went ahead to play two solo shows while the rest of the band fixed Bonnie.

“After Luke saw the show, he had an idea to capture the simple raw form of the songs played solo. Several months later, I went out to Hudson, NY, and we filled eight cassette tapes, with one song played through a few times per 15-minute tape. It was a really relaxing way of recording. I thought we might just stuff the tapes in a shoebox in a closet and find them years later. It’s nice to record without the intention of releasing the thing you’re making.”

There are more big things in store for Big Thief in 2017. For starters, they’re hitting the road with fellow Saddle Creek artist Sam Evian in January and then touring throughout the spring. Here’s where you can catch them…

Fri-Feb-03, Bristol, UK, Louisiana
Sat-Feb-04, Sheffield, UK, Leadmill
Sun-Feb-05, Edinburgh, UK, Mash House
Tue-Feb-07, Manchester, UK, Soup Kitchen
Wed-Feb-08, Nottingham, UK, Bodega
Thu-Feb-09, London, UK, Lexington
Fri-Feb-10, Brighton, UK, The Hope

“Among the group’s many recently converted fans is Jeff Tweedy, of Wilco fame, who tweeted: ‘Great guitars, great lyrics, great melodies…. What more could you possibly want?’ It’s just that simple.”

BIG THIEF – ” Masterpiece ” Best Albums Of 2016

Posted: December 8, 2016 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Big Thief

It takes nerve to title your debut album “Masterpiece”. As we noted on the midyear list, the Brooklyn band Big Thief has an awful lot of nerve. What is more important is that the group has excellent songs, which run on smoky, vulnerable vocals and superb melodies. Led by the midnight twang of Adrianne Lenker’s voice, Big Thief’s songs capture the rural desperation of a freight trainyard romance (“Paul”), a motel-screen movie marathon (“Vegas”) or an abusive family (“Real Love”). It is a taut, emotionally resonant collection of songs with a killer climax in “Parallels.” And among the group’s many recently converted fans is Jeff Tweedy, of Wilco fame, who tweeted: “Great guitars, great lyrics, great melodies…. What more could you possibly want?” It’s just that simple.

Big Thief’s Masterpiece is a shared experience. It was an album I’d put on riding in a car with friends, travelling to festivals and gigs . For their album debut, Big Thief added heft to these whispery tales. And that often comes in the form of Buck Meek’s guitar, as he underpins Adrianne Lenker’s chilling voice. I’ve listened to this album more than any other in 2016. It’s just about perfect. Calling your album “Masterpiece” is a bold statement, but Big Thief get closer than you’d think on the title track to their debut for Saddle Creek Records. Against a backdrop of beautifully ragged guitars, frontwoman Adrianne Lenker describes what sounds like a late-night bar crawl, always one drink ahead of loss and grief: “There’s only so much letting go you can ask someone to do.”

BIG THIEF – ” Real Love “

Posted: March 4, 2016 in MUSIC
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Only a few weeks after the announcement of their deal with Saddle Creek, Big Thief have revealed a release date for their debut album Masterpiece – the eagerly awaited LP drops May 27th.

Big Thief is the product of Brooklyn-based musicians Adrianne Lenker, Buck Meek, Max Oleartchik and James Krivchenia. Lenker, who began her career as a solo artist, met Meek in New York a few years ago, where the two quickly formed a musical partnership. While performing in dive bars and in basements, they recorded new music, including Lenker’s solo album, Hours Were The Birds. Lenker and Meek then joined forces with the other half of Big Thief and spent last July recording Masterpiece in a Lake Champlain, New York, studio with producer Andrew Sarlo.

“Struggle is inherent in love. Without consciousness, human or animal, would love exist?,” Lenker said of their new track, “Real Love.” “We make love, and love makes us. Maybe that’s why it is so hard for us when we feel that we’ve lost it, as if we’ve disappeared.”

Big Thief is set to perform several showcases at SXSW this month and will hit the road with Yuck for an extensive tour this spring.