#also the lyrics are from simulation swarm of big thief

[ghostbny]

"Little d-16, soft in your newborn skin, only one, little d-16, will you return again? I believe we can renew

And you could be my brother

Once again, fall asleep with our backs against each other, you believe, I believe, too

That you are the river of light who I love"

[alvivaarts]

Sometimes I want to like, post a whole fucking song analysis of certain songs for Simulation Swarm, but I feel like I’d be a complete and total dork for that. I just have five that I’m obsessed with for this fic that just. Wrap everything feelings wise up so nicely!?

Those are (with links):

-Emily I’m Sorry by boygenius      (Listen to this and tell me it’s not. For Leon’s inner feelings, he’s just so incredibly guilt ridden and he IS making this up as he goes along, he doesn’t know where he’s going or what he’s becoming. He is, after all, 27, and he no longer knows who he is. But he knows exactly what he wants.) -Simulation Swarm by Big Thief      (obvi. Vibes but also I very much enjoy Big Thief’s strange symbolic lyrics. But I feel like it highlights the overarching general themes and has some banger lines like ‘eat the gun as it feeds you’, ‘spitting up the oxygen’, ‘like the last human teachers’ and my personal favorite for later chapters ‘that you are the river of light who I love’... and then right back into the almost apocalyptic vibes despite the lightness of the song. ‘I’d fly to you tomorrow, I’m not fighting in this war. I wanna drop my arms and take your arms and walk you to the shore’ DAUGHTERS!!!!) -Uneven Odds by Sleeping at Last      (My friend suggested it and I was able to write an entire essay on why it’s perfect for Leon and Ashley’s parent-kid relationship in this fic. But long story short, also him coming to terms with himself in realizing he wants to be there for her and being entirely unsure how to prepare her for what’s next. The beginning of it will make sense as I post the more recent chapters.) -Dead in the Water by Ellie Goulding      (Leon’s feelings about Luis!!!! Like come on! I’m also a huge sucker for using water as an analogy for inner thoughts and feelings (Don’t be a Stranger cough cough) but I’ve made an effort to use it here from the beginning. For them, it’s gonna be Luis having repeated close calls with death and Leon being driven to realize how much it fucks him up emotionally every time.) -Spud Infinity by Big Thief      (It sounds kinda goofy at first but the lyrics are chef’s kiss thank you. This one I associate with the collective family vibes and love :) ‘One peculiar organism aren’t we all together?’ wrapping up the first half with family love, ducking into romantic love in the second half ‘When I say heart, I mean finish- when I say infinity, I mean now, kiss the one you are right now, kiss your body up and down other than your elbows’)

Bonus: -The Beast by Imogen Heap      (Ada and Leon vibes. I feel like they have a kind of soulmate relationship going on, but it just won’t ever work out, and in this fic it will end up coming to a head in a bit of a fight/tense breakoff/bid for forgiveness)

Ofc I have songs for vibes (lots of phonk and resi soundtracks), but I’m also a huge sucker for songs that lyrically apply.

[elite-amarys]

Which song do you feel describes your character the most and why?

//Some gay shit/j

Tbh Amarys is a hard one in terms of finding lyrics that relate to her. Most people who write music are pretty expressive by nature, and her struggles with displaying emotion are like. A pretty important aspect to capturing her character. But I got one song that I do think she at least listens to a lot/takes inspiration from;

And also this one makes me think of her. It's pure word salad though. Just absolute vibes with nothing to say I don't think

[l0vem41l]

songs and other drabbles...

part two: kyle "gaz" garrick

「 tws + notes: no tws, unedited, very possibly ooc (my first time writing for cod), civilian reader, pet name (baby) used like... once?? gaz the typa guy to use "babe" and "baby" i dont make the rules. dk whether this is fluff or angst but oh boy is it sumn!!!! 」

「 gn!reader, can be platonic or romantic <3 」

↳ ft. kyle "gaz" garrick

author's note: the entire first draft deleted itself and i nearly chose to do the same. SLASH JAY!!!! errmmmm (*´ｰ｀)ゞ anyways!!!! i love gaz so so much. this Specific lyric bro. itz so him. i've had this in my brain for too long. I STG I WAS COOKING W/ THE OG ONE BUT I DELETD THAT DRAFT AND NOW IT'S MID o(≧口≦)o !!!!! apologies. many. trust i'll come up w/ sumn better when i am not succumbing to whatever ailment has me rn,,,, <//3 im sick

[ simulation swarm - big thief ]

"i wanna drop my arms and take your arms / and walk you to the shore"

↳ gaz had woken up about half an hour ago. unlike usual, however, he was making absolutely no effort to get up from the bed and start the day early.

"just a few minutes” is what you claimed it would be when you asked him to stay in bed a for a while. it was also completely bullshit. you both knew that much. it had been much longer than “just a few minutes” since then– yet, there were no protests from him, holding you tight as if he never intended on letting go.

even if kyle had wanted to get up (and like hell he would), he figured it was almost impossible to say no to you. after coming back from a particularly long deployment which had left you with minimal contact to him, he figured the least he could do was indulge you in your simple requests now that he was back. staying in bed where it was warm and comfortable was easy enough anyways.

you were practically laying on top of him, your head tucked into the crook of his neck, one of his arms around your waist, holding you close against him. his free hand had found its way to the small of your back, as he idly traced shapes against the fabric of your shirt–

his shirt, actually. you had taken a liking to stealing his clothing and kyle's closet began slowly merging with your own ever since. at this point, it was hard to tell who’s clothes were who’s. not like he minded.

"kyle?” you mumbled sleepily, lips moving against his skin as you speak. his heart fluttered at your voice.

“yes?”

a beat of silence.

“nothing.” you shifted your position, moving to rest your head against his shoulder, cheek pressed against it as you look up at him. “it’s stupid, really but– i missed you more than i thought i would... guess i was worried about you."

his eyes met yours, gazing down at you sweetly. he paused to think for a moment, giving you a wistful smile before pressing a little kiss to your forehead. he thinks a moment before replying.

"i missed you too, baby. so much." though his voice is adoring and gentle as ever, a soft sorrow which your tired mind can't quite discern resided in the words.

kyle had always accepted danger which his job entailed, even used to the physically and mentally demanding aspects. but ever since you arrived his life, he found himself absolutely despising the anxiety that his job caused you when he was away. you both had to come to terms with the fact that this was just the way things would be for the both of you. he hated that. he hated knowing you would be forced to reconcile with the fact there might be a day where he doesn't come back to you.

deep in his heart, he knew that if you were more selfish– if you would just ask him to quit his job to live a quiet life with you– his answer wouldn't be no.

he'd never verbalize it, but he was almost certain he'd drop it all if you asked him to. sometimes he secretly wished that you would. but you never did. you remained understanding, taking all the anxiety you felt when he was away if it meant that you could still be with him. how could he ever repay something like that?

this was the ache and blessing which he carried the minute you insisted on loving him.

he didn't dare tell you this now. the moment would've certainly be ruined if he had. besides, he figured you had been laden with enough– and he didn't want to spoil this perfect morning. instead, he took the opportunity to pepper as many kisses on your face he can before you eventually laugh and gently push him away.

and that smile of yours, brighter than the morning sun– it just reminded him that he really would do anything for you.

▸ KYLE "GAZ" GARRICK

– reblogs always appreciated!

[aftgscenes]

First off OOPS SORRY MY ASKS WERE CLOSED I DIDNT REALIZE!!

Second I’m responding with my main aftg blog as I want to keep norasakavictweets as just tweets as much as I can

And now HERE WE GO! YOU ASKED FOR THIS *shaking with excitement*

Here is my thoughts on what the foxes would listen to

(to preface this I’m going to use current songs BUT if interested I do have thoughts on song from before 2007 only)

Andrew: gives me strong alt vibes for sure but to be more specific I think Midwest emo bands like The front bottoms and McCaferty fit the vibe pretty well. He canonically listens to lyrics more than sound and Midwest emo is known for not always sounding the best but having hard hitting lyrics.

Top 3 songs:

Father by The front bottoms

No below by Speedy Ortiz

No children by the mountain goats

Neil: this boy listens to nothing, like he was on the run yall, but I honestly think if he was going to put on music for himself it would probably just be classical. That being said I think the foxes would rub off on him and he would start listening to songs they played a lot just because it reminds him of them.

Top 3 song (not necessarily that he would listen to but that go with his character well):

Escape route by Paramore (literally the most Neil josten song of all time)

Why am I the one by Fun.

Be nice to me by The front bottoms

Kevin: it’s boring but Kevin is also just a classical girlie (as confirmed by Ms. Nora) but again here are 3 songs that lyrically radiate Kevin day energy

Top 3 songs:

love club by lorde

I don’t like my mind by mitski

Are you satisfied by marina and the diamonds

Aaron: rap fan. I can definitely see him listening to Kendrick Lamar and Mac miller (*cough* he would be an Eminem fan sorryyyyyi hate it too but it’s true)

Top 3 songs:

The spins by Mac Miller & Empire of the sun

Money trees by Kendrick Lamar

The real slime shady by Eminem

Matt: very similar music taste to Aaron tbh but I think he would really like Tyler the creator and Childish Gambino (Kendrick and Mac Miller)

Top 3 songs:

See you again by Tyler the creator

super rich kids by frank ocean

Sober by Childish Gambino

Nicky: he’s a top hits girlie, loves Gaga and anything extremely upbeat you can dance to

Top 3 songs:

Judas by Lady Gaga

Born this way by Lady Gaga

LBGT by cupccake

Dan: 90/00s soul and R&B mostly, lots of Aaliyah and I think she would also love Megan the stallion but I see her listening to a couple bands like No doubt too, badass women lead alt bands, there is definitely an edge to her music taste

Top 3 songs:

Just a girl by No doubt

Try again by Aaliyah

Big girls don’t cry by Fergie

Allison: also a top hits girlie but I feel like she had an “emo” phase at some point to scare her parents but she actually genuinely liked a lot of the music

 don’t have a top 3 for her yet tbh :( sorryyyy but unforgivable curse #3 by McCafferty is definitely a good song for her and Seth’s relationship

Renee: I love her VERY VERY much but tbh I haven’t been able to think of specifics… she definitely listened to different music growing up but I have a hard time deciding if she would still listen to any of it now… and if not… then what does she like????

Top 3 Renee vibe songs tho:

Angle of small death and the codeine scene by hozier

I bet on losing dogs by mitski

Simulation swarm by Big thief

Jean: nest boy probably didn’t have time to listen to much music but I’m tempted to say classical as well

Annnyways 3 Jean coded songs:

The deal by mitski (makes me cry thinking about him and this song)

Crack baby by mitski

Please please please let me get what I want by deaftones (yes the cover)

There ya go!!! This took me a little longer than I would like to admit but I needed to make it perfect… please excuse all the typos I’m sure are everywhere

[dustedmagazine]

Tim Clarke’s 2022: Light at the end of the tunnel?

The Smile photo by Alex Lake

I don’t want to curse anyone by saying it out loud, but could 2022 be the turning point after a truly horrendous couple of years? For me, the very fact that two-fifths of Radiohead put out an excellent album already makes this year notable. However, I was also lucky enough to get great new albums by favorites Big Thief, Dry Cleaning, and Aldous Harding. Plus, this year I’ve seen more live music than the previous two years combined. Here’s to 2023 continuing this upward trajectory of more great music, both recorded and live.

1. The Smile — A Light For Attracting Attention (XL)

Any Radiohead-related project is guaranteed to pique my interest, but one involving Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood? Having said that, even I was surprised at just how good A Light For Attracting Attention turned out. Veering from spectral balladry to twitchy post-punk, there’s not only variety here, but also a satisfying narrative arc, some great playing from all three members, plus the exciting prospect of another Smile album in the near future.

2. Big Thief — Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You (4AD)

Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You by Big Thief

After giving us two albums in 2019, Big Thief returned with a double album of surprising diversity and consistently high quality. At its best (“Little Things,” “Sparrow,” “Simulation Swarm”), DNWMIBIY feels like Big Thief could go anywhere from here, and if the rumors are true, there are as many more songs on the cutting-room floor as made it onto this 20-track monster. Here’s to another Big Thief album in 2023.

 3. Dry Cleaning — Stumpwork (4AD)

Dry Cleaning’s second album in two years catches this inimitable London band on a roll. There’s enough musical evolution from last year’s New Long Leg to ensure this isn’t just more of the same, though Florence Shaw’s lyrics and delivery are as funny as ever. Plus, Tom Dowse continues to be one of the most inventive and tuneful electric guitarists of recent years.

 4. Black Country, New Road — Ants from Up There (Ninja Tune)

Ants From Up There by Black Country, New Road

Much like Bowie passing away soon after the release of Blackstar, Isaac Wood leaving Black Country, New Road soon after the release of Ants from Up There is the kind of artistic move that feels preordained. This is a massive, ridiculous, intricate, and deeply moving album, and one that I doubt the remaining members of the band will top in Wood’s absence.

5. Stephen Becker — A Calm That Shifts (NNA Tapes)

Apparently, Stephen Becker worked on his solo debut for years between playing in countless other bands — and you can hear it. A Calm That Shifts is the kind of debut that spotlights a talent who has been quietly working in the margins of other people’s music for a long time, refining his craft. This is the kind of expansive folk-pop that has the songs, subtlety, and depth to slowly win you over.

 6. billy woods — Aethiopes (Backwoodz Studioz)

Aethiopes by billy woods

It’s rare I listen to hip-hop at all, let alone hear an album that blows me away, but getting billy woods’ Aethiopes in the Mid-Year Exchange was a revelation. I haven’t been this excited about a hip-hop album since Cannibal Ox’s The Cold Vein, way back in 2001. On Aethiopes, woods paints vivid pictures of urban desolation, set to producer Preservation’s woozy patchwork of old blues and jazz samples.

7. Aldous Harding — Warm Chris (4AD)

It’s hard to know how to take Aldous Harding’s shapeshifting vocal persona. On Warm Chris she’s more playful yet more seriously committed than ever to all the roles in her songwriting, making for some deliciously disorientating pop music. Perhaps not as consistent as her last full-length, Designer, but certainly as charming.

 8. Living Hour — Someday is Today (Next Door)

Though it includes my favorite song of the year in “Feelings Meeting,” Living Hour’s third album has plenty of other great songs. “Feelings Meeting” stands out as a thrilling shoegaze masterstroke, while most of the rest of the record is the kind of narcotized dream-pop Beach House do so well.

 9. Daniel Rossen — You Belong There (Warp)

You Belong There by Daniel Rossen

God knows when we’ll next get another Grizzly Bear record. Until then, Daniel Rossen’s solo debut will more than suffice. On You Belong There, his guitar playing is immaculate, and he doesn’t spare any indulgence on the arrangements either, layering instruments liberally across these stridently morose compositions.

10. Skullcrusher — Quiet the Room (Secretly Canadian)

Quiet the Room by Skullcrusher

It’s been a long time since I’ve heard an album playing in a record store full stop, let alone one that’s prompted me to ask at the desk what’s playing on the turntable. So it was with Skullcrusher. It immediately reminded me of Grouper, but less shy and less smothered in hazy melancholy. Quiet the Room is still a deeply introverted record, but one whose sounds are unafraid to shine, mainly thanks to Big Thief producer Andrew Sarlo’s sterling job at the desk. 

Another excellent ten (in alphabetical order):

Oren Ambarchi / Johan Berthling / Andreas Werliin — Ghosted (Drag City)

Ellen Arkbro & Johan Graden — I get along without you very well (Thrill Jockey)

Disassembler — A Wave From A Shore (Western Vinyl)

Goon — Hour of Green Evening (Demode)

Gwenno — Tresor (Heavenly)

Horse Lords — Comradely Objects (RVNG Intl.)

Cate Le Bon — Pompeii (Mexican Summer)

Market — The Consistent Brutal Bullshit Gong (Western Vinyl)

Shearwater — The Great Awakening (Polyborus)

Winged Wheel — No Island (12XU)

Tim Clarke

[nistarot]

Do as many or as few of these as you want!

Band/Artist: Hippo Campus

Song: Simulation Swarm by Big Thief

Album: Ed Buys Houses by Sidney Gish

hey this is ira 4-5 days in the future this is going under a read more you'll see why thanks so much love you

Hippo Campus

Do I know them already?: yes :) and i am so normal about them come closer | no 

If I know them: 

Favourite Song: Usually Chapstick, Formerly Bambi, Currently Listerine ; okay i've been working on this ask for a few days because busy. i also really like ease up kid an abnormal amount.

Least Favourite Song: uhhh. not necessarily "least favourite" as much as "have listened to it less than 10 times" - baby

Favourite Album: i think landmark is just always going to be a part of my life forever and ever to be honest with you. it's the album that got me into hippo campus and the summer a few years ago now that it was the only album i listened to for 3 months was the lowest place i've ever been in and i think this music + walking aimless and flat broke in a city i had literally run away to on a manic whim for hours because i worked all the time but never made enough money to do anything there + listening to landmark on total flat out loop until i heard the music even when i wasn't listening to anything - is something i don't think i will ever be able to forget. those 3 months were...not ideal? but this one album has attached to it every single small shred of a good thing, a good feeling, a good meal, relief from sitting down after a 12 hour restaurant shift, sunset in the best autumn weather i've ever experienced, riding a bus that wasn't for school for the first time, my first taste of a real, actual city life, boardwalk wandering, the laughter however rare and even the month i spent in the hospital; which, mind you, was easily the best month of the whole three of them. really good album. lp3 is really bomb too :)

Least Favourite Album: mmm. demos I ? but not. all the songs on it i just vibe better with the mesh of how demos II is set up...

Song that got me into them: it has quite literally been. years and years but i think it was halocline, waaay. way back in 2015 on my not-boyfriend's 8tracks. then i forgot about the band when i stopped talking to my not-boyfriend. then found them again a few years later with bambi, which still is very very very dear to me and very important

Seen Live?: 

Not. Yet. Soon.

Rate: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 100 this is literally my favorite band almost 10 years running babey #hippocampussweep

Song: Simulation Swarm by Big Thief

couldn’t finish it | not my thing | it’s fine | I could get into this | ooo I like | oh hell yeah | fuck this is some good shit | there aren’t even words, this transcends words 

Oh my g-d the lyrics are so fucking good. yeahyeahyeahyeah yes sing to me about the crooked corpses the empty horses yes yes the river of light yes yesyesyesyes i love when words are so good oh my G-D they say simulation swarm just now. yes. yes. yay. holy shit. i already really loved a few Big Thief songs going into this so i am of course not disappointed; i really love this. you should listen to bloodlust by aeseaes.

Album: Ed Buys Houses by Sidney Gish

wait holy shit i just looked it up i know this album. i did not recognize the artist name or album name at all. what do you want from me tonight is one of my fav songs that i point at and say look its me. hell yes

Opinion on cover design: it's so good it looks like the inside of my brain :]

Favourite song: what do you want from me tonight (before listening to full album) | ...Other than WDYWFMT (bc h. yes) probably either hexagons and other fun materials Or presumably dead arm. :) i also really like homecoming serf for sureeee!!

Least favourite song: midnight jingle sorry or not sorry depending on how you feel abt it

Underrated track: i do not follow a lot of ppl who talk abt gish. but probably buckets of fun

Overrated track: i do not follow a lot of ppl who talk abt gish. pbb wdywfmt because thats the one that came up on my discover weekly like 2 years ago when i foudn that song and proceeded to not listen to any of the rest of it until just now so thank you

Rate: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9.5 | 10 

Song opinions:

!Ed Buys Houses! -- Cute and poppy absolutely zoned out during it though because I was so floored at the realization that i knew this album and haven't recognized it this almost whole week

Midnight Jingle -- Unfortunately i am extremely nitpicky about speaking voices in my songs and the niche where voices are good in a song and where i start getting bored / annoyed is thin and veneered in judgement. the actual song is good i just almost skipped it entirely because of the phone convo at the beginning

Buckets of Fun -- YES YES YES STATIC DISTORTION IN SONGS <333 YES BABE RUUUUIN THE LEVELS ON YOUR AUDIO FILES!!!!! YES !!!!!!!!!!!!

Homecoming Serf -- oh good the melancholy. hm this is less about the Song and more about the Experience thus far (oh hell yes jesus of suburbia reference <3) but i really love how the songs so far haven't been super jarring to the pace of listening to it straight through, midnight jingle is almost in my mind retroactively justified because i can't imagine the disappointment i'd feel about another I CAN EASILY ACT GAYER THAN FUCK HATE. i love you gish. thanks. i'd feel about another phone call dragging on for a minute before there's any Song. so if it has to exist it does make sense to be a "first song" after the "theme" song that !EBH! is serving as a role. this song though goes so fucking hard i relate so hard <3 i love the atmosphere. it's not a sad song? it's a song that's lowkey and expressionistic--okay, sorry to be...a theatre person but in this song specficially sidney sounds like veronica sawyer from o'keefe's running ?? i think ??

Vaudeville -- aw hey apparently i have vaudeville relatives on my mom's side that's fun. this song does sort of slow down but again the pace is very intentional / consistent still. almost like a heart beat! i don't know how to word it but there's some kind of specific Thing that gish is doing with the music overall that is very funky and i enjoy it very much. the words and phrases and curses placed so Casually throughout the music is very harsh in a very good way. like a scrape at a waterpark. or rope burn on a tire swing.

Friday Night Placebo -- i've been eyeing the title of this song this whole time... it definitely is starting to slow down, but again it's like the entire album is on a curve. okay it ramps up and then down. i also feel like it's possible the album is weaving a specific story but i can't read the lyrics while i type this so i struggle to hear all the words (#hohW) but i do love just this feeling. very hazy? is that the word? i'm trying to find this word that encompasses this feeling. it's not hazy, it's not juvenile. what is the word! sorry i kept getting called by a telemarketer during this song but tbh that added i think to the intended emotion overall. maybe. it feels very ... not rugged. what is the word. oh the song's over--

Hexagons and Other Fun Materials -- funky groovy ass bass line. hell yes. also i love shapes please explain math and shapes to me. oh no i relate to this song already oh g-d oh fuck fuck oh no. fuck. well. what a fun little story about wanting to find something to excel in so that you will seem in some way meshed with those around you, but you are not able to force yourself into it. okay. there's voices in this one but i relate so deeply to the song itself in a way that is a little shocking for some reason that actually i don't even care. i might even Like those voices being there. oh my g-d i need to call my therapist. sorry. hesus christ.

Cokesbury -- back down to the dampened tone... you know those hoodies? with the - like - wool, i think, or maybe hemp...? thick knit and super super rough textured, with the slow diamond patterns. you can get them in stoner shops a lot i think. that's what this sounds like. it smells like incense and a super dark, barely lit, cramped souveneir shop in a college town (not a college city. college Town.) there's like one employee who leans against the cashier counter and ignores you as long as they possibly can (as they should). this album is probably the type of music that would play on those shitty little sony speakers hung up way too far apart in each corner of the store and played at too low a volume to actual build into a song you can hear properly. it's great.

It's Afternoon, I'm Feeling Sick -- this album came out in 2016 which is when-ish i moved across the country to live with my dad i hadn't spoken to in 5+ years out of nowhere and i know this is not true this is a joke here but also i do think if you put this album to a wordless biopic of the last 2 years of high school and first 2 years of my dad having custody of me you would think it had been written for that biopic specifically. good song!

Presumably Dead Arm -- yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes the intro. is nice. yes there's the words. oh i love this alreadyyyy. second to last song on the album yes babe i love it. honey you are nothing to me!!!! i am dying on the sofa and i'm . oh my G-D this one could be the ending of the biopic where i had run away from home and was insane for several years following. i want to have a coffee with gish gonna be honest with you i think we'd have some things to talk about. i love the "i want to go back, i want to know you when i didn't and i want to have what everyone i knew had" ... oh boy this song hits for me. i think this one's going on my "songs that look like me" playlist. btw i genuinely have no idea if any of this Says Anything about my mental state or whatever so like feel free to psychoanalyze me should you ever want to i love being perceived. 10/10 song. oh no we're almost done. i was just starting. where did the time go.

What Do You Want From Me Tonight? -- WELL I TOOK SOMEONES ADVICE WITH A ROLL OF EACH EYE!!!!! SHE TOLD ME TO SIT DOWN TWICE WAHT DO YOU WANT FROM ME TONGITH NOW IM STUCK LOSING MY MIND WHILE EVERYONE ELSE JUST THINKS THAT IM REALLY SHY WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME TONGIHT CUZ IM INVITED BUT IM TERRIFIED TOO AND ILL SIT HERE FOR A MILLION YEARS JUST STARING ACROSS THE ROOM BUT WHAT DO YOU WANT CUZ I WANT IT ALL AND ID REALLY RATHER STEP BACK BUT MY WALLS AGAINST THE WALL WHAT IF IM TOO NICE ITS A PUNCH IN THE FACE TO BE SO OVERPOLITE WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME TONGIHT MY VOICE IS TOO HIGH AND IT MATCHES MY HEAD AND I LOOK LIKE I WANNA DIE WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME TONGIHT? CUZ IM INVITED BUT IM TERRIFIED TOO. AND ILL SIT HERE FOR A MILLION YEARS JUST STARING ACROSS THE ROOM. BUT WHAT DO YOU WANT CUZ I WANT IT ALL AND ID REALLY RATHER STEP BAACK BUT MY BACKS AGAINST THE WALL ADN IM BORN TOO TALL TO CONTORT MY SPINE INTO A BALL AND I WANNA DISAPPEAR BUT IM NOT ADEQUATELY SMALL!!!!! AND IM INVITED BUT IM TERRIFIED TOO AND ILL SIT HERE FOR A MILLION YEARS JUST STARING ACROSS THE ROOM BUT WHAT DO YOU WANT CUZ I WANT IT ALL AND ID REALLY RATHER STEP BACK BUT MY BACKS AGAINST THE WALLLLLLLLLLL.

[dustedmagazine]

Big Thief — Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You (4AD)

Photograph by Jessica Viscius

Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You by Big Thief

Big Thief’s new album, their fifth, eases into view with a tune called “Change.” It’s a woozy three-chord shuffle, the kind of song you can imagine being sung around a campfire, its well-worn truths about the futility of trying to keep things the same offering a degree of solace. The song acts as something of a mission statement for this double album, prepping the listener to expect the unexpected. Named after a lyric from Adrianne Lenker’s solo song “Anything,” Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You deftly touches down in the band’s usual folk-rock territory, while also exploring a new terrain of sounds and production styles that broaden their musical palette. Don’t panic, though; Big Thief hasn’t gone synth-pop. Instead, DNWMIBIY is both a consolidation of what’s made the band’s previous albums so compelling, and offers a natural next step in the evolution of their writing and arranging talents.

The majority of the album’s opening third will already be familiar to anyone who’s been keeping up with the band’s release schedule during the second half of 2021. The first surprising gear shift comes immediately after “Change” as “Time Escaping” pairs a metallic clanging riff on prepared acoustic guitar with James Krivchenia’s slamming drum beat. Then, on side B of the album’s four sides, the band takes its most striking left turn. After the joyous, swirling vortex of single “Little Things” comes the brief, minimal “Heavy Bend,” which brings to mind Four Tet’s Pause with its combination of crisp, compressed beats and harp-like nylon-string guitar. “Flower of Blood” and “Blurred View” draw the first half of the album to an uneasy close with murky, early 4AD-style tones. It suits Big Thief well, and adds a layer of mystique to Lenker’s otherwise clearly enunciated vocal performances. 

Elsewhere, the title track and “Simulation Swarm” evoke the crystalline beauty of 2019’s U.F.O.F. “Simulation Swarm” in particular is stunning, and stands among the band’s finest songs to date. The band generates spine-tingling tension between Lenker’s open-tuned arpeggios, Max Oleartchik’s sliding bass runs high up the neck, and an overdriven guitar break that ricochets out of the speakers. Buck Meek’s plaintive harmony vocals come to the fore on “Certainty” and “12,000 Lines,” and his wantonly oblique lead guitar wanders all over the loose, jammy “Love Love Love.” Twain’s Mat Davidson brings old-timey fiddle and backing vocals to rambling country hoe-downs “Spud Infinity,” “Red Moon” and “Blue Lightning.” And then there are welcome moments of repose, as Lenker goes it alone on “Promise is a Pendulum” and “The Only Place,” tracing out stark vocal takes over strident fingerpicked guitar. 

The most surprising aspect of DNWMIBIY is that for a double album, the quality control is high and the sequencing is especially effective. It’s also startling to learn that the band has another 25 songs from these sessions waiting in the wings (fingers crossed we get to hear at least some of them before the year is out). In the meantime, DNWMIBIY is the first album to join my best of 2022 list. 

Tim Clarke