Big Thief: Double Infinity [Album Review]

Big Thief
Double Infinity
4AD [2025]

“Double Infinity isn’t about instant hits but about moments that bloom the more you live with them.”

Album Overview: Big Thief formed in Brooklyn and now center around Adrianne Lenker, Buck Meek, and James Krivchenia after founding bassist Max Oleartchik left during early sessions for Double Infinity. Known for raw songwriting, personal narratives, and fearless experimentation, the band has long been one of indie rock’s most vital forces. Rather than retreating inward as a trio, they opened their circle wide, recording with collaborators like Laraaji, Joshua Crumbly, and Mikey Buishas. Across three freezing weeks at the Power Station in Manhattan, the group and their guests tracked together live, letting songs form in real time. Instead of polish and planning, Double Infinity documents communal discovery—Big Thief leaning into unpredictability and collective energy.

Musical Style: The record mixes folk warmth with experimental sprawl. Acoustic guitars sit alongside drones, tape loops, off-kilter percussion, and layered harmonies. Rather than stacking parts piece by piece, grooves and textures emerge in the moment. The zither, extra percussion, and vocal layering bring a meditative, almost spiritual edge, while the band’s melodic core still shines through.

Evolution of Sound: Earlier Big Thief albums were more stripped-down and guitar-forward. Double Infinity cracks that space open into something freer, drawing from jazz, ambient, and improvisation. It’s less about precision and more about process—a living archive of sound that shows how the band now values collaboration as much as craft.

Artists with Similar Fire: If you’re into Yo La Tengo’s loose jams, Wilco’s more exploratory turns, or the layered collectives of Grizzly Bear and Broken Social Scene, this will resonate. There are also shades of Laraaji’s spiritual drones and the atmospheric weight of Talk Talk’s Spirit of Eden.

Pivotal Tracks: “Incomprehensible” opens with reflections on aging and presence, setting a contemplative tone. “Words” captures frustration and longing, with Lenker’s fragile delivery carrying what the lyrics can’t. “Los Angeles” is a soulful meditation on bonds that outlast romance, while “All Night All Day” drops guardrails for raw honesty. “Happy With You” brings a surprising lift late in the record, showing the band can still swing. “Grandmother,” featuring Laraaji, marks the trio’s first fully co-written piece—turning inherited struggle into something healing. And the title track, “Double Infinity,” closes with wide-angle questions about inner and outer worlds.

Lyrical Strength: Lenker remains the anchor. Her writing touches time, memory, and existence while grounding itself in body, family, and touch. She flips easily from plainspoken lines to poetry, never losing intimacy. Even as the music drifts into cosmic territory, her lyrics make sure the listener stays tethered to human experience.

Final Groove: Double Infinity isn’t the most immediate Big Thief record. It asks for patience, rewarding repeated listens with new textures and connections each time. The bar for this band is sky-high, and while this album doesn’t quite eclipse their strongest work, it stands tall in their catalog—proof that risk and experimentation can still sound deeply human. It’s a solid entry that keeps their story moving forward, leaving you curious about where their restless spirit might take them next.

BIG THIEF REVIEW HISTORY
Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You (2022) / Capacity (2017)

BIG THIEF LINKS
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp | 4AD