Big Thief | photo courtesy of the artist
Big Thief wants to believe on new single “U.F.O.F.”
Big things are happening for indie rock/folk band Big Thief. After two successful albums — Masterpiece in 2016 and Capacity in 2017 — the group is set to release a third album this May mysteriously titled, U.F.O.F. This is the first album Big Thief has released since signing with 4AD, and the title track, “UFOF”, is out now. If that weren’t enough for you folk rock alien-believers, Big Thief has also released a North American tour that will stop at Union Transfer in November.
Big Thief stars Adrianne Lenker on guitar and vocals, Buck Meek on guitar, Max Oleartchik on bass and James Krivchenia on drums. The quartet have returned from a world tour and after spending countless nights together in hotels, buses, and on stage, the band is more intertwined than ever, spiritually and musically. The effects of their new found intimacy can be heard on their single “UFOF.” The swirling, dream-like sound weaves in and out of narratives. It feels like oscillates between ambient sound and soothing acoustic guitar. It’s clear that Big Thief are pushing their sound into new sonic territories, perhaps even going so far as to commune with the extraterrestrial.
U.F.O.F. was recorded at Bear Creek Studios, a ten-acre farm in rural western Washington. With returning engineer Dom Monks and producer Andrew Sarlo, the band experimented with well-worn songs and found new ways to mix, melt, and mend sounds together. They describe the completed album as something that feels “classic, upfront and honest, with an occasional, welcome glimpse into the magic box.” Considering the magnitude of their recent successes and the scope of their new music, it seems like “big” isn’t big enough for this ambitious and etherial band.
Big Thief will perform at Union Transfer on November 9th with Palehound; details can be found at the XPN Concert Calendar, ull tour dates can be perused below.
Tour Dates
Sat. Apr. 20 – San Diego, CA @ Irenic
Thu. May 2 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre
Fri. May 3 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Bootleg Theater
Sun. May 5 – Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere
Sat. May 18 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club (SOLD OUT)
Sun. May 19 – Glasgow, UK @ SWG3
Tues. May 21 – Dublin, IR @ Vicar Street
Wed. May 22 – Manchester, UK @ The Ritz
Thu. May 23 – London, UK @ Roundhouse
Fri. May 24 – Bristol, UK @ SWX
Sun. May 26 – Cambridge, UK @ Cambridge Junction
Mon. May 27 – Paris, FR @ Trabendo
Tue. May 28 – Brussels, BE @ Orangerie
Thu. May 30 – Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Sound
Fri. May 31 – Nîmes, FR @ This Is Not a Love Song Festival
Sun. June 2 – Amsterdam, NL @ Best Kept Secret
Mon. June 3-6 – Marina Di Ravenna, IT @ Beaches Brew Festival
Mon. June 3 – Berlin, DE @ Lido
Tue. June 4 – Zurich, CH @ Bogen F
Sat. June 8 – Porto, PT @ NOS Privaera Sound
Tue. August 6-10 – Oslo, NO @ Oya Festival
Thu. August 8 – Copenhagen, DK @ Lille Vega
Thu. August 15-18 – Wales, UK @ Green Man Festival
Fri. August 16 – Hasselt, BE @ Pukkelpop Festival
Thu. Oct. 10 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall
Fri. Oct. 11 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall
Sat. Oct. 12 – South Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
Sun. Oct. 13 – Boston, MA @ Wilbur Theatre
Tue. Oct. 15 – Montreal, QC @ La Tulipe
Wed. Oct. 16 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre
Fri. Oct. 18 – Chicago, IL @ Metro
Mon. Oct. 21 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
Thu. Oct. 24 – Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
Fri. Oct. 25 – Vancouver, BC @ Vogue Theatre
Sat. Oct. 26 – Seattle, WA @ Moore Theatre
Mon. Oct. 28 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
Fri. Nov. 1 – Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom
Sat. Nov. 2 – Albuquerque, NM @ Sister
Mon. Nov. 4 – Austin, TX @ Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheatre
Tue. Nov. 5 – Dallas, TX @ Trees
Thu. Nov. 7 – Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse
Fri. Nov. 8 – Saxapahaw, NC @ Haw River Ballroom
Sat. Nov. 9 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
Sun. Nov. 10 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
U.F.O.F. TRACKLISTING
1. Contact
2. UFOF
3. Cattails
4. From
5. Open Desert
6. Orange
7. Century
8. Strange
9. Betsy
10. Terminal Paradise
11. Jenni
12. Magic Dealer