by Big Thief
Released February 11, 2022 via 4AD
Reviewed February 21, 2022
Top tracks (based on community voting)
Simulation Swarm (63%), Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You (25%), Spud Infinity (22%)
The Lenker-led indie quartet produce their longest project to date in the form of a campfire experience. A behemoth on the indie folk/indie rock landscape, Dragon New Warm Mountain is nothing short of a sprawling performance by one of the finest acts on the contemporary scene. Every facet of the band's character gets a chance to shine across the breadth of the record. The blissful, the quirky, the serene, the reminiscent–it’s all on show here. Consistency is paramount with a release of this length. Only the cream of the crop ever manage to pull it off; add Big Thief to that special list. Riding through desolate barrens, soaking up the soul-sucking atmosphere of life on the never-ending road. The finish line is in sight, but it's never felt so far. Big Thief have outdone themselves on this one. – Peter (8/10)
In both name and length, Big Thief’s latest record is a long one. The Brooklyn band has crafted their most ambitious work yet, which clocks in at an hour and 20 minutes spread across 20 tracks. The quartet have been one of the most prominent names in indie folk since their 2016 debut, but Dragon New Warm Mountain feels like the start of a new, and more exciting era of Big Thief. The band’s melancholic and twangy brand of folk music sounds its most graceful on their first album of the 2020s. Adrianne Lenker has always shown prowess as a singer and songwriter, with her poetic musings melding with a uniquely soothing voice. But with Big Thief’s latest offering, Lenker sounds better than ever. Her voice is bolstered by the group’s most eclectic and psychedelia-influenced instrumentals yet. From bare acoustics to fuzzy folk-rock, Dragon New Warm Mountain stays true to the band’s roots while delivering a greatly enhanced sense of lush, heartfelt nostalgia. There is a warm sense of comfort behind Lenker’s delivery and a relaxing nature to the music, but the extensive runtime limits its potential as a full body of work. – Dominick (7.8/10)
Victoria: 9.5/10 | Cam: 8.5/10 | DeVán: 8/10 | Hadley: 8/10 | Peter: 8/10 | Dominick: 7.8/10
