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CRITIC REVIEWS
82
Big Thief ultimately nail the different shades of reckoning and self-introspection on their Saddle Creek debut. Many listeners will no doubt identify with and see pieces of their own struggles inside this album.
80
Masterpiece may be flawed, but try to think of a magnum opus, or a life, that isn't. The most exciting part is that it's likely Big Thief's best is yet to come.
80
Rhythmically a balanced mix of energetic grooves and melancholy explorations, the album is wall-to-wall artful expression that finds a songwriter thriving as part of a four-piece.
80
Expect this to be the start of a huge career, even if this really is their ‘Masterpiece’.
80
What makes Masterpiece such an engrossing listen is how they regulate the songs to their bare essentials even when they’re at their most dynamic. Big Thief is a band that understands that there’s much to explore within life’s empty spaces, to never underestimate what’s not readily there and occupy it with grand, though modest, gestures.
77
On the rangy folk-rock band Big Thief's Saddle Creek debut Masterpiece, the songs sound cherry-picked over a lifetime of writing, the stories carefully compiled.
76
Modern folk fans take note; it’s not every day we get the pleasure of hearing such an accomplished debut.
70
Lenker isn’t the room-swallowing presence that Quinlan is, but she more than makes up for it in commanding songcraft, which skews dynamic (“Animals”), dissonant (“Interstate”), and placid (“Little Arrow”) without ever changing its sepia tone.
70
Simply put, Big Thief’s debut is a most pleasant surprise; a rich treasure trove of story and seduction.
70
Even when the road backwards gets unbearably dark, this record feels like a hero's journey.
I am so in love with the sound on this, Big Thief's music is both powerful and restrained, carrying the themes of love, loss and heartbreak. Forgetting to mention the fantastic and mesmerizing vocalist would be a sin, as she is easily one of the best elements of Masterpiece. But she wouldn't be all that without her band, and oh boy can they play. From hefty blues rock with some real grit, to soft, quiet folk to calm the soul. Masterpiece is how to do a proper debut, a fresh take on an age old ... read more
They are so good at playing their instruments that I forget to listen to the words. Big Thief has been chugging along the last few years, but Masterpiece is a strong debut from a band that has only gotten better. Lenker's vocals are probably my favorite on this album.
second half is better than the first, overall though it's aight. These guys definitely have a lot of potential.
Beautiful songwriting, the lead female vocalist, Adrianne Lenker, has an absolutely amazing voice. Every song seems so delicate, but it's supported with a very unique and powerful sound. Overall, very solid record, and can't wait for more.
One of the better indie debuts of the year that firmly cements Big Thief as an exciting up-and-coming band that should be watched carefully in the future. Perhaps slightly too inconsistent to warrant its title, but there are a lot of good songs here, and the best ones are really, really good and prompt lots of repeated listens. Sounds like a "storytelling album" in the way of many a great folk-rock record.
END OF YEAR LISTS
| #2 | / | The Wild Honey Pie |
| #8 | / | Newsweek |
| #31 | / | NPR Music |
| #35 | / | Earbuddy |
| #43 | / | For The Win |
MISC LISTS
| / | NPR (First Half) |
Track List
- Little Arrow
- Masterpiece
- Vegas
- Real Love
- Interstate
- Lorraine
- Paul
- Humans
- Velvet Ring
- Animals
- Randy
- Parallels
In Library (16)
stereogum.com
New Track: Big Thief – “Cattails” 
Added on: March 22, 2016
