Courtesy of 4AD.
Big Thief’s music takes you somewhere distant, far from the clutch of reality. That location is unknown, and it surely varies among the listener but there is no doubt that auditory teleportation occurs.
It’s been about five months since the band released their last record, U.F.O.F., an album that was flooded with folk influences. It was mellow and delicately whispered its story to the ears.
In August, the group unveiled a new single titled “Not” that completely flipped the script. U.F.O.F. was a tame expression while “Not” was unhinged with an abundance of angst. It was a firm statement and captured the change in approach for the group.
Even the location in which the upcoming record was produced drastically changed. U.F.O.F. was recorded in the historic Bear Creek Studio which resides in the luscious greenery of Woodinville, Washington. Their upcoming record, Two Hands, was crafted in the desolate atmosphere of Sonic Ranch in the Chihuahuan Desert of Texas.
The collective of Adrianne Lenker (vocals/guitar), Buck Meek (guitar/vocals), Max Oleartchik, and James Krivchenia (drums) dished out yet another single today titled, “Forgotten Eyes”. Bursting with emotion much like their previous single, “Forgotten Eyes” tugs at the heart with its acoustic engine and the aching vocals of Lenker.
It’s raw. It’s in your face. Its cadence skips along with vulnerability. Most importantly, the poetic, water-like flow of Lenker’s songwriting hasn’t regressed. One can tell that there’s a lot of soul searching going on this time around which is made evident by lines such as:
“Forgotten eyes are the ones which we lose/Forgotten hands are the ones which we choose/To let go of, but it is no less a bruise/On the collective arm keeping us high and gone.”
The song isn’t necessarily going to blow your mind, but it does satisfy the hunger for substance. Listen to “Forgotten Eyes” below. Two Hands is set to be released on October 11th through 4AD.