This past September, the very popular band Big Thief dropped an incredibly heart wrenching, whimsical album that encapsulates a cycle of emotions that can be relatable to a wide range of people. On the album, Adrianne Lenker sings, Buck Meek is on guitar and backing vocals, James Krivchenia holds down drums and percussion, and Max Oleartchikon plays bass. Big Thief also included a feature from artist Laraaji on the 7th song on the album titled “Grandmother”. The album received backlash from listeners online, who initially fell for the original rendition of the first song on the album, titled “Incomprehensible” which showcases a tone and lyric change from the demo version of the song. The album cover features a lime, with rings of the skin of the lime surrounding it, on a completely pitch black backdrop. 

My personal ranking of each song on the album is based on the meaning of the lyrics and the general vibe of each song. For my first song ranking, I chose the song Happy With You. Happy With You features an upbeat, spiffy, and light backtrack. The lines “Happy with you” are repeated, as well as “poison shame”, which are minimalistic lines in nature, but explore the intricacies of relationships. This song is my personal favorite, as it delves into deep emotionally rooted themes while still maintaining a level of simplicity in its storytelling. For the second best song on my list, I chose Words. The tone of the beat is very melancholy, with shouting and conversational filler in the background that portray ineffective communication with words. I chose this song because of the unique argument that is presented by the lyrics: that silence and talking less are more helpful for connection.

For my third song on the ranking, I selected Incomprehensible. The lyrics have a personal air to them, with the overall theme surrounding Adrianne’s life as she’s grown from a child into an adult, and the socialization that has come with it. This song is ranked at three due to the beautiful portrayal of the message that the vilification of aging in modern society is a problem and individuality is important. 

In summary, Big Thief portrays the cycle of life, death, and love in a raw and sincere light through their album. It delves into the beauty of contradiction, and the inspiring themes of growing old, yearning, and breaking social norms.