It’s a risk that pays off - when Big Thief quietly seethes, it only pulls the listener in closer.

On U.F.O.F., singer-songwriter Adrianne Lenker rarely raises her voice above a stage whisper over music composed of delicately interlocking acoustic guitars and a subliminal rhythm section. Instead of piling on flashy guest stars, elaborate overdubs, and think-y conceptual ideas in pursuit of a capital-C classic, Big Thief has pulled back dramatically. The scale of Big Thief’s music has actually gone in the opposite direction over three albums, toward austerity and even near-silence.īut on Big Thief’s unnerving and often thrilling third record, U.F.O.F., one of the finest young bands in contemporary indie displays a confidence that’s unique for musicians who are eager to prove their mettle. The indie band Big Thief might not appear at first to have that sort of hyperbolic artistic determination, even if they did name their 2016 debut, Masterpiece. It’s Radiohead laboring over OK Computer, it’s Fiona Apple risking her livelihood to make Extraordinary Machine, it’s Kendrick Lamar unveiling To Pimp A Butterfly - you’re supposed to produce a self-conscious “masterpiece” that doesn’t just reach for greatness, but demands recognition as a mind-blowing, paradigm-shifting, era-defining masterpiece. It’s the point in the career trajectory when all cards are laid on the table, and every last chip pushed to the middle of pile.

The “ambitious third album” is a rite of passage for aspiring legacy artists. Inclusion in this category is the highest distinction we can bestow, and signals the most important music being released throughout the year. The RX is Uproxx Music’s stamp of approval for the best albums, songs, and music stories throughout the year.

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