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Masterpiece
ReleaseProduct
Masterpiece
Artist
Big Thief
Label
4AD
Catalogue Number
4AD0644
Release Date
May 27, 2016

Big Thief's 2016 debut album, remastered by Heba Kadry and available via 4AD for the first time on eco-vinyl.

Big Thief's music, rooted in the songs of Adrianne Lenker, paints in vivid tones "the process of harnessing pain, loss, and love, while simultaneously letting go, looking into your own eyes through someone else's, and being okay with the inevitability of death," says Adrianne.

Masterpiece, Big Thief's debut album, is filled with characters and visceral narratives, songs that pivot in the space of a few words. Adrianne's voice and guitar playing speak of rich emotional territory with grace and insight. In her words, the record tracks "the masterpiece of existence, which is always folding into itself, people attempting to connect, to both shake themselves awake and to shake off the numbness of certain points in their life. The interpretations might be impressionistic or surrealistic, but they're grounded in simple things."

Adrianne met her longtime musical partner, guitarist and singer, Buck Meek, in Brooklyn a few years ago, and they quickly formed a creative bond tempered by the experience of traveling and performing for months on end in old dive bars, yards, barns, and basements together. They recorded a pair of duo albums (A-Sides and B-Sides), and Adrianne showcased her songs on a solo album, Hours Were The Birds.

Now, as a full rock and roll band, with Buck on guitar, Max Oleartchik on bass, and James Krivchenia on drums, they bring a steady wildness, giving the songs an even deeper layer of nostalgia. "These guys feel like a pack of wolves at my back," says Adrianne, "they make the songs howl and bark with a fierce tenderness that gives me courage."

After spending last July in an old house that they turned into a studio on Lake Champlain with producer Andrew Sarlo, the resulting collection soars on what Big Thief fan Sharon Van Etten calls "...a real journey, with intelligent stories and twist-and-turn melodies."

Big Thief on Spotify
Listen on Apple Music

Digital Tracklist

  1. 1 Little Arrow 1:58 Buy

    Little Arrow

  2. 2 Masterpiece 3:50 Buy

    Masterpiece

  3. 3 Vegas 2:19 Buy

    Vegas

  4. 4 Real Love 4:17 Buy

    Real Love

  5. 5 Interstate 3:24 Buy

    Interstate

  6. 6 Lorraine 1:53 Buy

    Lorraine

  7. 7 Paul 3:03 Buy

    Paul

  8. 8 Humans 3:23 Buy

    Humans

  9. 9 Velvet Ring 2:35 Buy

    Velvet Ring

  10. 10 Animals 2:59 Buy

    Animals

  11. 11 Randy 3:09 Buy

    Randy

  12. 12 Parallels 4:23 Buy

    Parallels

Big Thief

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