When Big Thief’s spring tour was cut short by the coronavirus pandemic, vocalist and guitarist Adrianne Lenker decided to use her unexpected free time to take to the woods and record. The result is a duo of albums, songs and instrumentals, whose uniting principle was Lenker’s attempt to make music she describes as sounding “like the inside of an acoustic guitar.” If that means she wanted to capture the instrument’s warm tones and association with intimate, comfortable spaces, then she’s succeeded.
Sparer and quieter than her work with Big Thief, songs is the ideal setting for Lenker’s gorgeous vocals, which take center stage. Meanwhile, instrumentals is made up of two lengthier, wordless compositions—the first of which came from jam sessions at the end of each day recording songs. Together, they make a perfect soundtrack for this strange moment, when the future seems unknowable and taking it one day at a time is the best anyone can do. –Eliza Thompson
Top photo: Genesis Baez
This article originally appeared in the Winter 2021 print edition of BUST Magazine. Subscribe now!
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