Big Thief Announce New Album and Irish Tour Date

Photo: Michael Buisha

Following the massive success of their sophomore album Capacity in 2017, Brooklyn's Big Thief have announced that they will release their latest album, U.F.O.F. on the 3rd of May. Part of their world tour for the new LP will thankfully take them back to Dublin (they sold out both nights in Whelan's last March) this time in Vicar Street on the 21st of May. Tickets are €23.00 (excl. fees) and are available for purchase via Ticketmaster here. 

U.F.O.F. can be pre-ordered here and will be released on a limited edition translucent orange vinyl pressing also, available via the band's website.

U.F.O.F., F standing for 'Friend', is the name of the highly anticipated third record by Big Thief, set to be released on May 3rd. Today, they share the first single, 'UFOF' and North American tour dates to add to their 2019 live schedule. 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.

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."