Big Thief - Two Hands

no, and that's sort of the frustrating thing, I would be fine with her writing a reasoned takedown of Big Thief that I didn't agree with, at least relatively more fine than with just a shitty tweet with no explanation. I just kind of expect better from a music critic at a major publication. But then that is sort of the problem with Twitter -- for all I know it was just some drunk tweet that she made after having an argument with someone.

Yeah, and it didn't start with Twitter---some of those little shit % run Real Life Ten/Consumer Guide lines came way before (although some other lines got me to buy shit I admit)

shit & run, that is

Seeking sympathy is of course not a bad thing in itself---and I don't think Lenker is trying to be the
new vanguard of feminist etc. and/or a superstar, maybe any kind of star, but I'm sure *some* women a9nd maybe some guys) are like, "Oh sure, lady," like she can seem inward-turning, twee (re the early REM appeal) at times, but then, as w Stipe, she's got that band ready when she wants to step forward, so look out for the oblique strokes

One of the things that strikes me about Big Thief and maybe also about the time in which they exist is that they seem able to be feminist and queer-friendly and all that stuff in a small way, without needing to announce it to the world or put themselves in a box the way "lilith fair" type acts might have done in the 90s. And admittedly I probably am more likely to respond to them because of that, because they're not holding up a big sign that says "this is specifically for someone other than you."

Agree 100% with the sentiment above that Big Thief do not seem to be actively courting hype or backlash. At least, from my perspective as a 42yo dad who mostly keeps up with music via this board, Spotify algorithms and Wikipedia rabbit holes.

I find Big Thief’s music to be so insular and unassuming, full of depth that’s not totally apparent on first listen. Even four albums in I still get the sense they’re just building a devoted cult following—nothing that would warrant a vicious takedown, whether in article or tweet form.

the first time i heard "paul" from masterpiece i thought, well this is an extremely accomplished + assured song for some random band's debut album. and they've just continued from there. i haven't vibed with every song on every album but to suggest that the band that wrote "mythological beauty" or "not" is failing on some sort of objective level is ridiculous.

there's a moment at about 3:08 in that late show performance where the camera gets all of them singing the chorus and it's as locked in as i've ever seen a band doing a tv spot.

Okay so as well as 'Teenage Dirtbag', I realised that Forgotten Eyes really reminds me of early Radiohead b side 'How Can You Be Sure', which I can't find on YouTube but honestly.

It's amazing how much BT occasionally remind me of Radiohead without specifically sounding like them. I'm betting the guitarist is a huge Johnny Greenwood stan

their chord progressions sometimes feel very radiohead-esque too, which is quite nice since not much else out there evokes the same feeling as in rainbows

Indeed. Now if only she could sing like Thom Yorke ca. The Bends…

actually i think her voice is a fair bit reminiscent of thom's

As a side note, I seem to be utterly alone on this one, if my cursory 5 minute Google search is anything to go by.

huh dow I never thought of xgau's smug dickhead quippy one liner reviews as proto Twitter but they kind of are

Saying it’s good cuz it’s not loud and proud queer or bc it sounds like Radiohead?? Stop ruining this band lmao

i hate to beat a dead horse, but big thief have seized the heart of my partner--someone who has never listened to nor cared about indie rock in her life. needless to say she was offended by the nyt critic's tweet

they were excellent last night in chicago. cattails and not were clear highlights. it goes without saying, but SEE THIS BAND LIVE

buck also played a solo number which kinda blew me away. so much talent in this band

love a POPCAST talking dababy, memes, real rap perseverance, moshing and catching feelings at rolling loud w/ @joecoscarelli

(also incl. bonus #defend @mehpatrol footage)https://t.co/GqodFzYmHE

— Jon Caramanica (@joncaramanica) October 19, 2019

NYT not about to let you get away with liking an indie band in 2019

/troll

Last few times I've listened to this, I kept thinking - "I'll bet these guys were big fans of Wheat's '99 'Hope and Adams' record.'

yeah i mean come on, they start off the whole conversation by saying that ganz has a private twitter, which she does not.

I checked this out with a chip on my shoulder -- "how good can it be, this album I keep hearing about, I don't really listen to indie rock much, I'm not going to like this but I guess I should find out what it sounds like." fucking blown away. I listened to the one from earlier this year, too, and it was good, but this album has a very locked-in musicians-listening-to-one-another feel that just astonished me. what outstanding music.

<3

"Orange" from UFOF is the one that devastates me.

This one's recorded pretty much live in a dusty room in a desert or something, isn't it? I think that's a BIG contributing factor to the locked-in musicianliness of it.

i listened to the album twice today and guess what? i really liked it, i got over her voice or maybe better into her voice. except one song which destroys the flow and which i have to skip as it is just too much pastiche, too obvious. it's "not" which almost made me not listen to the rest of the album as i didn't like it from the beginning on and couldn't join into everybody's hooray. it definitely deserves it's name.

"Orange" from UFOF is the one that devastates me.

― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 22 October 2019 23:44 (yesterday) link

Have you listened to her pre-BT solo stuff at all? Because Orange reminds me of some of it.

wayne and garth in mainhatten

the album lives up to the name Two Hands because that's what i used to cover my ears

I don't understand how a listener could really like most of this album, but strongly dislike "Not."

even the second part of "not" with the guitar jam is really boring and conventional. in parts it reminds me of the endless guitar noodling of 70s prog rock. corny and asking for a punk rock answer.

no

alex, dude - it sounds like Greg Ginn playing with the Voidoids

which prog rock bands specifically does it remind you of

big thief.

case. closed.

to be fair, Not is kind of a pale imitation of The Gates of Delirium.

I'm going to keep saying it sounds like Silkworm because only like 5000 ppl like Silkworm and we are super nerds, also it's true

I don't get the prog thing at all

jk actually Big Thief sounds like National Health meets Porcupine Tree

having spent some more time with it over the past week i definitely hear the 'worm in this record

I bought the CD to-day

oh boy

5,000 RPM inside the player

Yeah man, it really spins good in there

anyone have the vinyl?

finally got around to listening to this. Some amazing song writing as to be expected but the sound blows me away here. not sure where i place it in their catalog yet after only my first listen .

haven't caught up on the last 2 albums yet but just wanna point out that the status quo indie rock 'one thread per album' model is a terrible way to organize online discussion on this plain text message board

I think this is really a remarkable album... It just holds you in the palm of its hand. There’s something almost “outsider”-y about it, as if they’re roughly transmutating esoteric sources of inspiration into the earthy language of rock and roll (and, I guess, “folk”).

I've got the vinyl with 'desert peach` colouring. pretty much every new record I buy these days is a special colour

Technological/practical "backward steps" we all just accept now

decent pressing?get so wary of new indie vinyl