U.F.O.F., F standing for ‘Friend’, is the name of the highly anticipated third record by BigThief, set to be released on May 3rd via 4AD/Rhythmethod. Today, they share the first single, ‘UFOF’.
Adrianne Lenker (guitar, vocals), Buck Meek (guitar), Max Oleartchik (bass), and James Krivchenia (drums) have spent the last 4 years on an incessant world tour, winning the devotion of an enthusiastic and rapidly expanding audience. Their first two back-to-back releases, Masterpiece (2016) and Capacity (2017), have been analysed, wept to, danced to, critically applauded, imitated, hummed idly, and shouted out loud. They have sound-tracked crowded restaurants, difficult conversations, cowboy bars, yoga classes, night drives and lonely bedrooms.
Listen to ‘UFOF’ below.
U.F.O.F. was recorded in rural western Washington at Bear Creek Studios. In a large cabin-like room, the band set up their gear to track live with engineer Dom Monks and producer Andrew Sarlo, who was also behind their previous albums. Having already lived these songs on tour, they were relaxed and ready to experiment. The raw material came quickly. Some songs were written only hours before recording and stretched out instantly, first take, vocals and all.
“Making friends with the unknown… All my songs are about this,” says Lenker; “If the nature of life is change and impermanence, I’d rather be uncomfortably awake in that truth than lost in denial.”
