Big Thief

Indie rock bandTemplate:SHORTDESC:Indie rock band
This article is about the American band. For the German silent film, see The Big Thief.
<templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"></templatestyles><templatestyles src="Module:Infobox/styles.css"></templatestyles>

* 4AD
* Buck Meek
* Max Oleartchik

**Big Thief** is an American indie rock band with folk roots based in Brooklyn, New York, United States. Its members are Adrianne Lenker (guitar, vocals), Buck Meek (guitar, backing vocals), Max Oleartchik (bass), and James Krivchenia (drums). All four members attended the Berklee College of Music, but only formed a group after each had graduated.

The band's first album, *Masterpiece*, was released on Saddle Creek Records on May 27, 2016.

On April 4, 2017, Big Thief premiered a new single, "Mythological Beauty," on NPR. The following day, the band released the single's official video and confirmed that the song would appear on their next LP, *Capacity*. The full album was released on June 9 via Saddle Creek.

In 2019, Big Thief released two albums and several singles. In the lead up to their third album, *U.F.O.F.*, the band released three singles, ''U.F.O.F", "Cattails", and "Century." The album was released on May 3, 2019. The band's fourth album, *Two Hands*, was later released on October 11, 2019. Its release was preceded by the singles "Not" and "Forgotten Eyes." Both albums received critical acclaim.

## History

### *Masterpiece* (2016)

The band's first album received generally favorable reviews from critics; it has a rating of 79/100 on Metacritic. Bob Boilen wrote for NPR that Big Thief was "a band bound by great songs," and called the title track of *Masterpiece* "one of the best songs I've heard this year." Jillian Mapes, writing for Pitchfork Media, gave *Masterpiece* a rating of 7.7 out of 10 and said that the songs on the album "sound cherry-picked over a lifetime of writing". Robert Christgau described its songs as "Fragile, noisy images of a love perpetually out of reach". Ben Salmon wrote in *the Portland Mercury* that on the album, Big Thief "alternately sounds like an unearthed field recording ("Little Arrow"), a pop band with a broken heart's pulse ("Vegas"), and a classic, buzzy indie-rock outfit ("Interstate")."

### *Capacity* (2017)

*Capacity*, the band's second album, received critical acclaim upon its release. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from music critics, the album received an average score of 81, indicating "universal acclaim", based on 15 reviews.

*Capacity* appeared on multiple album-of-the-year lists, including #1 on NPR's "Bob Boilen's Top Ten Album's of 2017". Boilen said, "I don't recall the last time I had the same band in my top five albums for two years in a row. But this year's *Capacity* (my No. 1 album) and last year's *Masterpiece* (my No. 4 album) did just that." SPIN named *Capacity* #2 on their "50 Best Albums of 2017", citing the band's "open engagement with anguish in their bracing songs."

The song "Mary" appeared on Pitchfork's 200 Best Songs of the 2010s list, at #44.

### *U.F.O.F.* (2019)

*U.F.O.F.*, the band's third album, was announced on February 26, 2019. The album was recorded at Bear Creek Studio in Woodinville, Washington. On the same day, they released the album's first single, its title track., "UFOF" as well a new tour across America and Europe. The band released two more singles, "Cattails" and "Century" ahead of the album release on May 3, 2019. *U.F.O.F.* received critical acclaim upon its release. It received "Best New Music" by *Pitchfork*, scoring a 9.2, and also came in at #33 on Pitchfork's 200 Best Albums of the 2010s list. At Metacritic, the album received an average score of 87/100. In the first album release week, *U.F.O.F.* reached the top of Billboard charts, including the #1 position on Alternative New Artist Albums, Americana/Folk Albums, Top New Artist Albums, #2 placement for LP Vinyl Albums, #6 placement for Current Alternative Albums, #8 placement for Current Rock Albums, and #142 for Billboard Top 200 Albums. The band also had 3 sold out album release shows, one the night before the album release in LA at The Fonda Theatre on May 2, another in LA on May 3 at The Bootleg Theater, and a third night in Brooklyn, NY at Elsewhere on May 5, 2019.

*U.F.O.F.* was nominated for the Best Alternative Music Album for the 2020 Grammy Awards.

### *Two Hands* (2019)

Big Thief released their fourth album, *Two Hands*, on October 11, 2019. The album was recorded at Sonic Ranch in Tornillo, Texas shortly after the recording of *U.F.O.F.* and is billed as its "Earth twin".

### TBA (2022)

On August 10, 2021, the band released the songs "Little Things" and "Sparrow", both which were produced by Big Thief drummer James Krivchenia. "Little Things" was recorded with Shawn Everett at Five Star Studios in Topanga, California in October 2020. "Sparrow" was recorded with Sam Evian at Flying Cloud Recordings in the Catskills, New York in July and August of 2020.

On September 7, 2021, the band released another song, entitled "Certainty", followed by another, named "Change", on October 6th. They also announced plans for a North American tour, slated for 2022.

In the November 2021 issue of *Mojo*, Big Thief revealed plans to release a 20-track double album in early 2022. The album was recorded in four different locations across the United States after the band quarantined in the Vermont woods for two weeks in July 2020.

## Band members

**Current members**

* Adrianne Lenker – vocals, guitar (2015–present)
* Buck Meek – guitar, backing vocals (2015–present)
* Max Oleartchik – bass guitar (2015–present)
* James Krivchenia – drums (2016–present)

**Former member**

* Jason Burger – drums (2015-2016)

<templatestyles src="Module:Gallery/styles.css"></templatestyles>

Big Thief - Haldern Pop Festival 2018-3.jpgAdrianne LenkerBig Thief - Haldern Pop Festival 2018-1.jpgBuck MeekBig Thief - Haldern Pop Festival 2018-2.jpgMax OleartchikBig Thief at the Lexington - 32724342181.jpgJames Krivchenia
## Discography

### Singles

* "Dandelion" (Saddle Creek; 2016)
* "Masterpiece" (Saddle Creek; 2016)
* "Real Love" (Saddle Creek; 2016)
* "Paul" (Saddle Creek; 2016)
* "Mythological Beauty" (Saddle Creek; 2017)
* "Shark Smile" (Saddle Creek; 2017)
* "Haley" (Saddle Creek; 2017)
* "U.F.O.F." (4AD; 2019)
* "Cattails" (4AD; 2019)
* "Century" (4AD; 2019)
* "Not" (4AD; 2019)
* "Forgotten Eyes" (4AD; 2019)
* "Love in Mine" (4AD; 2020)
* "Little Things/Sparrow" (4AD; 2021)
* "Certainty" (4AD; 2021)
* "Change" (4AD; 2021)

### Music videos

* "Masterpiece" (2016)
* "Humans" (2016)
* "Mythological Beauty" (2017)

### Notes

1. ↑ *Masterpiece* did not enter the US Billboard 200, but peaked at number 10 on the US Heatseekers Albums Chart.
2. ↑ *Capacity* did not enter the US Billboard 200, but peaked at number 9 on the US Heatseekers Albums Chart.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Salmon, Ben (6 July 2016). "Big Thief's Masterpiece Finds the Right Alchemy". *Portland Mercury*. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
2. ↑ Maldonado, Eva (August 10, 2018). "Indie rock band Big Thief talks Berklee, Boston, and being vulnerable". *The Boston Globe*. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
3. ↑ Weiss, Dan (1 June 2016). "Review: Big Thief Are Halfway to a Low-Strung 'Masterpiece'". *Spin*. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
4. ↑ "New Mix: Son Lux, Public Service Broadcasting, Big Thief, More". *NPR.org*. Retrieved 2017-04-10.
5. ↑ "Big Thief Announce New Album Capacity, Share New "Mythological Beauty" Video: Watch | Pitchfork". *pitchfork.com*. Retrieved 2017-04-10.
6. ↑ "Masterpiece". *Metacritic*. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
7. ↑ Boilen, Bob (19 May 2016). "Review: Big Thief, 'Masterpiece'". *NPR*. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
8. ↑ Mapes, Jillian (6 June 2016). "Masterpiece Review". *Pitchfork Media*. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
9. ↑ Christgau, Robert (8 July 2016). "Car Seat Headrest, the Julie Ruin, and Drugs". *Vice*. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
10. ↑ "Capacity by Big Thief", *Metacritic.com*, retrieved 2018-01-18
11. ↑ "Bob Boilen's Top 10 Albums Of 2017". *NPR.org*. Retrieved 2018-01-18.
12. ↑ "50 Best Albums of 2017". *Spin.com*. 2017-12-18. Retrieved 2018-01-18.
13. ↑ "Big Thief announce new album, U.F.O.F., share title track: Stream". *Consequence of Sound*. 2019-02-26. Retrieved 2019-02-27.
14. ↑ "Listen to "UFOF" by Big Thief", *Pitchfork.com*, retrieved 2019-02-27
15. ↑ "Big Thief: U.F.O.F." *Pitchfork*. Retrieved 2019-05-13.
16. ↑ Nast, Condé. "The 200 Best Albums of the 2010s". *Pitchfork*. Retrieved 2019-10-08.
17. ↑ *U.F.O.F. by Big Thief*, retrieved 2019-05-13
18. ↑ "Charts". *Billboard.com*. Retrieved 2019-05-13.
19. ↑ "Photos: Big Thief at the Fonda Theatre". *Buzzbands.la*. 2019-05-03. Retrieved 2019-05-13.
20. ↑ "5 Takeaways from the 2020 Grammy Nominations". *Pitchfork*. Retrieved 2019-11-21.
21. ↑ "Two Hands (Vinyl) BIG THIEF". JB Hi-Fi.
22. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2019-08-12. Retrieved 2019-08-12.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
23. ↑ Minsker, Evan (August 10, 2021). "Big Thief Share New Songs "Little Things" and "Sparrow": Listen". *Pitchfork*. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
24. ↑ "Big Thief: 'Little Things / Sparrow'". *4AD*. August 10, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
25. ↑ Legaspi, Althea; Legaspi, Althea (2021-09-07). "Big Thief's New Song 'Certainty' Was Recorded Using a Cigarette Lighter". *Rolling Stone*. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
26. ↑ "Big Thief share dreamy new single 'Change' and North American tour dates". *NME*. 2021-10-06. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
27. ↑ Aston, Martin (November 2021). "Big Thief Trust Themselves To Find Mystery On Album Five". *Mojo*. No. 336. p. 22.
28. ↑ Brodsky, Rachel (October 4, 2021). "Big Thief Prep Double LP For 2022". *Stereogum*. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
29. ↑ "Found In Sound; An Interview with James Krivchenia of Big Thief". *Ghettoblastermagazine.com*. November 22, 2017. Archived from the original on September 19, 2019. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
30. ↑ "Big Thief Chart History: Billboard 200". *Billboard*. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
31. ↑ "Big Thief Chart History: Independent Albums". *Billboard*. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
32. ↑ "Discografie Big Thief". Ultratop. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
33. ↑ "Discografie Big Thief". Ultratop. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
34. ↑ "Discography Big Thief". *irish-charts.com*. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
35. ↑ "Discografie Big Thief". *dutchcharts.nl*. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
36. ↑ Peaks in Scotland:

	* *U.F.O.F.*: "2019-05-10 Top 100 Scottish Albums Archive". Official Charts Company. officialcharts.com/. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
	* *Two Hands*: "2019-10-18 Top 100 Scottish Albums Archive". Official Charts Company. officialcharts.com/. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
37. ↑ "Discography Big Thief". *swisscharts.com*. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
38. ↑ "Big Thief UK Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
39. ↑ 39.0 39.1 "Big Thief Chart History: Heatseekers Albums". *Billboard*. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
40. ↑ Redfern, Mark (May 11, 2021). "Big Thief Announce Fall Tour Dates, Release New Live EP and Share Live Video for "Shoulders"". *Under the Radar*. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
41. ↑ Hussey, Allison (September 7, 2021). "Big Thief Share New Song "Certainty": Listen". *Pitchfork*. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
42. ↑ Minsker, Evan (October 6, 2021). "Big Thief Announce 2022 North American Tour, Share New Song "Change": Listen". *Pitchfork*. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
43. ↑ "Best Alternative Music Album | 2020 GRAMMYs". *GRAMMY.com*. 2019-11-19. Retrieved 2019-11-26.
44. ↑ "2021 2021 GRAMMYs Awards Show: Complete Winners & Nominees List". *GRAMMYs*. Retrieved 2021-03-25.

## External links

* **No URL found. Please specify a URL here or add one to Wikidata.**

Template:Big Thief
Template:Saddle Creek