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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.
Big Thief Discog Dive 1/5
This one has been a long time coming. Big Thief!
I’ve been meaning to do a discog dive of this band ever since their latest album “Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You” (try saying that five times fast god damn) came out last year. Besides, their catalog isn’t too deep with only 5 full-length projects under their belt, so it should be fun to see their growth from beginning to present.
Anyway, what was I talking about? Oh yeah, opening ... read more
The indie rock genre is blessed with presence of power quartet Big Thief. And what a blessing it is. The leader singer’s voice, while not what I would call strong, is most certainly beautiful. In fact, I would say it benefits from this lack of sturdiness. The little quivers and shakes on certain notes give it this quality that feels uniquely hers. I’ve never heard anything quite like it. The instruments are gorgeous; the guitars in particular steal the show. And the songwriting, ... read more
2022 FIRST LISTENS: #69 // Big Thief (1/5)
Eu estaria mentindo se dissesse que amei o Masterpiece desde a primeira vez que o escutei, mas em pouco tempo muitas faixas dele se tornaram algumas das minhas preferidas de todos os tempos. Esse é o tipo de álbum em que as músicas que não prendem tanto a sua atenção acabam desagregando valor ao projeto como um todo, mas aquelas que clicam com você te encantam e nunca mais sairão da sua ... read more
This wasn't really working for me at first, but Lenker's vocals and the guitars sound so damn good. I was expecting to get a bit bored as the record progressed, but I kept getting more and more entranced by the stories and groovy sounds present on the tracks. None of them really stay in one place for their entire duration, except for the folkier tracks, but I always love those so it doesn't really matter much. I'm not sure how much I'll return to this project in its entirety in the long term ... read more
The record that made want to see them live this year even before I listened to Dragon New Warm Mountain, just fell in love with the band ever since that night. Look, if you know you know.
An album and a band that represents a lot for their fanbase I realise, one of the most genuine and delicate voices committed to tape, with some of the most impactful poetry in indie music. Threads the knife edge between when to be up tempo or paint in strokes of seductively melancholy. Superb.
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Track List
| 1 | Little Arrow 1:58 | 73 |
| 2 | Masterpiece 3:50 | 93 |
| 3 | Vegas 2:19 | 88 |
| 4 | Real Love 4:17 | 91 |
| 5 | Interstate 3:24 | 86 |
| 6 | Lorraine 1:53 | 80 |
| 7 | Paul 3:03 | 91 |
| 8 | Humans 3:23 | 84 |
| 9 | Velvet Ring 2:35 | 84 |
| 10 | Animals 2:59 | 83 |
| 11 | Randy 3:09 | 79 |
| 12 | Parallels 4:23 | 88 |
Total Length: 37 minutes
Year End Lists
| #2 | / | The Wild Honey Pie |
| #8 | / | Newsweek |
| #31 | / | NPR Music |
| #35 | / | Earbuddy |
| #43 | / | For The Win |
Added on: March 22, 2016