Big Thief’s musical career began with heart-wrenchingly miserable songs. These depressing songs (often accompanied by uncomfortable sexual imagery) and the band’s mastery of the folk genre became what they were primarily known for. Over their career, the band’s growth has consisted of trying to find a new way to define their music and themselves, to capture more joy in their songs.
Their newest studio album, Double Infinity, is full of joy. Big Thief has finally reached a point in their journey where they are making happy music. Unfortunately, though, the band has also lost something in making this shift. While it’s exciting to see Big Thief complete such a thorough renovation of their sound, the music itself is somewhat boring. There is a certain driving force present in their earlier albums — emitted by their horrible sadness — that is missing here.
The backbone of this album is the incorporation of Eastern sounds, resulting in a lighter, happier soundscape. The percussion weaves together bongos, mbiras and many more eclectic instruments to create their most thorough tapestry of sound yet.
This is largely thanks to the involvement of studio musician Laraaji, a prominent figure in the ambient music industry who is known for his interest in Eastern mysticism. The joyful elements of this sound are best displayed on the track “Grandmother,” which begins with lead singer Adrianne Lenker comforting her grandmother over all that she has lost in life.
Lenker also describes her struggles with finding happiness in her own life. As the song progresses, the percussion rises in volume, a sonic illustration of the mood improving. After the first chorus, Lenker sings “I saw love through the pain / I saw sun through the clouds,” lyrically mirroring the hopeful instrumentation. Between Lenker’s musings, Laraaji twists his sweet, nonsensical voice as if channeling some eternal truth listeners remain unaware of. As Lenker’s voice tapers off, he is the only one left singing, ending the song on an uplifting, ecstatic note.
While the new sound is exciting for what it means for the growth of the band, the songs on this album feel underwhelming, and the band seems unsure of exactly how to handle this big change. Lenker’s wish in “Grandmother” that she is “gonna turn it all into rock and roll” elucidates this incapability. Big Thief clearly wants to powerfully express emotion in the form of rock but are unable to do so — at least on this album. The song “Los Angeles” is the closest the band came to it, and even then it seemed to give up halfway. The track starts off with an exciting guitar riff, which leads into Lenker painting a striking image of driving into Los Angeles. As Lenker works through her love for someone she’s been separated from, the initial riff fades to the back. The song gets lost in itself, sacrificing the emotive for the intellectual.
Big Thief is similarly confused on the last track, “How Could I Have Known,” a bittersweet reflection on separating from someone who has shaped your life. The band contrasts somber strings reminiscent of their earlier work with shimmering percussion. On paper, it seems like it should work, but neither their older nor their newer style is executed particularly well here, and the way they play off each other is unremarkable.
Letting go of the past and moving on is also a theme of the title track. The idea of a “Double Infinity” is explicitly addressed in the lyric, “At the bridge of two infinities / What’s been lost and what lies waitin.’” Lenker frames herself as being split between the love she could have had and the love that might be waiting for her in the future. This dichotomy parallels Big Thief’s position stylistically, as they give up the advantages — and disadvantages — of their old style and look to see what change might bring.
Throughout the album, the choice to leave the past behind is tied to time and the cyclical nature of life. That cyclical nature comes alive here through repetition, either of images or lyrics. The title track, for instance, begins with the line, “In the arms of the one I love / still seein’ pictures of / Another …” (referring to her ex) and toward the end sings, “Deep within the center of / The picture is the one I love,” representing her current partner. The parallel images are poignant, demonstrating that she is moving on and accepting this new love in her life. While the lyricism on this song is particularly striking, the instrumentation and melody is too stripped back, blending into the other tracks.
The song “No Fear” similarly relies on repetition. The bass line is at the heart of the song; guitar feedback, backing harmonies and other instruments briefly join before fading. The lyrics are extremely repetitive as well, the entire track composed of one verse repeated with slight modifications. The lyrics claim that there is “No time … No fear …” which paints a surrealistic picture supported by the instrumentation. The focus on repetition gives the listener an out-of-body experience, freeing them from time. “Happy With You” also has only a couple of lines, which are repeated like a mantra. It relies heavily on an upbeat acoustic riff and backing instrumentation characteristic of the album. On their own, both songs shine. However, when compared to other tracks on the same album, the blandness of repeated vocals is brought to light.
Double Infinity is full of philosophical themes. Throughout the album, the band uses repetition and a revamped sound to demonstrate their evolution and cement their recent shift to becoming more hopeful. While they should be applauded for their risk-taking, the band still seems confused about this novel direction. Part of the confusion stems from Big Thief actively convincing itself that a positive mindset is possible within their music. Still, this release means fans can be excited for the future, for a Big Thief more confident in expressing their joy and for the band to share their thoughts on the world from this new point of view.
Daily Arts Writer Joe Bogdan can be reached at joebogdn@umich.edu.
