Big Thief - Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You

RETROSPECTIVE ROCKING CHAIR VISITS

Big Thief was six years too early naming this album. For 2016's debut Masterpiece doesn't hold a torch to their magnum opus; A now-sprawling, 20-track Indie Folk masterpiece. It's blessed music, devoid of pretension and materialism. Honed to an earthly core, with innate human behavior defining the mood, rather than whatever manufactured cravings come with the modern trends. Big Thief tap into the primitive on Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You, enraptured by life's natural beauties in both the highs and lows. Truth be told, I would've never believed this album could be made. A double album in the narrowest of genres: Folk? Rife with striking variety and unfaltering tenderness? No way. Expectations are constantly off-set against the backdrop of Adrianne Lenker's virtuous eye, exploring human connection - as is the Big Thief way - with a myriad of new contortions. I sit in awe.

One could admire the Singer/Songwriter aspect, with Lenker's frail vocals shone through a spotlight begrudgingly accepted on tracks like 'Change,' 'Dried Roses,' or 'The Only Place.' Or perhaps capricious Indie Rock is more your flavor, electrified with a rowdy spark plug as seen on 'Little Things,' 'Flower Of Blood,' or 'Love Love Love.' But maybe campfire Americana tickles your inner game-drifter - with influence tethered to Big Blood's Avant-Folk - on the frolicsome collective 'Spud Infinity,' 'Red Moon,' and 'Blue Lightning.'

Or, you could have it all, for standouts like 'Time Escaping' and 'Simulation Swarm' accomplish all this simultaneously. Really, Dragon New Warm Mountain is a stunning mishmash of brilliant ideas, drawn from acclamatory sources across the continental United States. Only some eccentric Brooklynites could bring it all together.