by Hayden Godfrey (@haydengodfreyy)
For the last half-decade, indie fans have been enchanted by the unsettlingly delicate voice of Adrianne Lenker, the force behind Big Thief, a four-piece folk-inspired rock outfit from Brooklyn, NY. This year, Lenker alone has decided to release two solo efforts, the first of which is titled simply songs.
While starkly different from the energetic electricity and instrumentation of Big Thief’s previous efforts, songs is nevertheless a wonderfully atmospheric change of pace and one record that is certainly worth a hearty listen.
As Lenker herself writes in the album’s attached handwritten description, the record was inspired by a post-tour escape in rural Massachusetts. Recorded on a shoestring budget and spawned from “a whole new level of heartsick,” it’s brilliantly summed up as “something that sounds like the inside of an acoustic guitar.”
Stylized exclusively in lowercase letters, the record is holistically beautiful, with most of the eleven tracks showcasing Lenker’s signature vocal waver accompanied by silky shakers and cascading acoustic guitars. With intricate yet lightly punchy lyrics, Lenker’s prose flows from obscure to romantically nostalgic without skipping a beat. In one breath, she’s able to transition from cyclical consequence on “ingydar” (“everything eats and is eaten, time is fed”) to hard-hitting adolescent gloominess on “anything” (“I wanna sleep in your car while you’re driving”). Fans of Big Thief will note that Lenker’s delivery and enunciation are decidedly less pronounced than her other appearances, and this isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
As the album goes on, Lenker seems to get more relaxed and candid, almost as if gradually letting her hair down over the span of forty minutes. In particular, the laidback “heavy focus” evokes shades of Joni Mitchell, while the pastoral choir of “half return” meshes perfectly with the tone of the album.
Perhaps understatedly so, select tracks feature delightful ambience that enhances the record’s landscape. On “my angel,” the concluding chirping birds illuminate an already intimate mix, so too does the warm production on “come” and “zombie girl.” True to its purpose, Lenker’s songwriting is teeming with rustic character and complemented by familiar repetition and incredible accessibility.
Even though it occasionally borders on linguistic esoterica, Lenker has managed to create a shimmering collection of cozy folk songs that showcase her expertly controlled vocal timbre. Like any good work of gentle folk songwriting, songs will put you to sleep in the best possible way.