Big Thief Double Infinity

Critic's Take

I found Big Thief's Double Infinity to be a mind-expanding, kaleidoscopic turn where the best tracks - notably “Incomprehensible”, “Words” and “Los Angeles” - set the tone with hallucinogenic acoustics and heartbreaking croons. The title-track “Double Infinity” is elegant and serene, leaning into dark ambient textures, while “No Fear” and “Grandmother” push the band into noisy, immersive psychedelia. This is not DNWMIBIY redux, it is a different beast that nearly matches the predecessor in quality by trading summer anthems for layered atmospherics. Listen for the first three songs as the clearest entry points to the album's strengths.

Key Points

• The best song(s) are the opening trio, led by "Incomprehensible", for their hallucinogenic acoustics and emotional croon.
• The album's core strengths are its psychedelic atmospherics and a brooding, ambient-infused reimagining of Big Thief's folk sound.

Themes

Critic's Take

There are unmistakable peaks on Double Infinity, namely the god-tier “Los Angeles” and the truly stunning title track “Double Infinity”, which play like Lenker at her most elemental and exacting. Marked by spare arrangements and vivid nature imagery, the record often drifts into indulgent, percussion-led jams that test patience - those longpieces in the back half undercut an otherwise clear songwriting gift. Adrianne Lenker remains one of the century's preeminent songwriters, but on Double Infinity the two centerpiece songs stand far above the album's repetitive, mantra-driven stretches. For listeners asking the best tracks on Double Infinity, start with “Double Infinity” and “Los Angeles” and brace for the sprawling endings.

Key Points

• The best song is the title track because it pares arrangements to voice and martial drums, showcasing Lenker's lyrical power.
• The album’s core strengths are Lenker’s songwriting and vivid nature imagery, undermined by indulgent, repetitive jam pieces.

Themes

Critic's Take

Big Thief sound diminished on Double Infinity, the record often skirting mediocrity rather than the group’s former highs. The reviewer singles out “Grandmother” for Laraaji’s impassioned wordless vocals, and praises late-album moments like “No Fear” and “Happy With You” as the best tracks on Double Infinity. While opener “Incomprehensible” is called serviceable, much of the album falls into looping chord progressions that fail to evolve, leaving only a few songs to set the pulse racing. The assessment points to lost chemistry after Max Oleartchik’s departure, which underpins why these particular songs stand out.

Key Points

• “No Fear” is best for its hypnotic, bass-driven groove and a rewarding seven-minute arc.
• The album’s core strengths are atmosphere and groove, but repetitive songwriting and lost chemistry undermine its impact.

Themes

Critic's Take

The review highlights "No Fear" as the album’s most experimental and atmospheric high point, praising its dub-like ambience and layered instrumentation. Up-tempo tracks such as "Incomprehensible", "All Night and All Day" and "Happy With You" are noted for inventive drumming and cosmic or jungle-adjacent rhythms. More traditional songs—"Los Angeles", "How Could I Have Known" and "Double Infinity"—are singled out for showcasing Lenker’s intimate vocal delivery. "Grandmother" is emphasized as a transformative collaborative piece due to Laraaji’s contributions, marking the record’s broader shift toward diffusion and painterly expressionism.

Key Points

• “No Fear” is best for its layered, dub-like ambience and expansive seven-minute experimentation.
• The album’s core strengths are its adventurous experimentation, collaborative textures and bold departure from Big Thief’s previous intimacy.

Themes

Critic's Take

Big Thief's Double Infinity feels like a final porchside gathering, and the reviewer repeatedly points to the standouts that make the record sing - namely “Grandmother”, “Words” and “Incomprehensible”. The voice is intimate and wise, noting how “Grandmother” reaches a high watermark with Laraaji's synth-drenched build while “Words” uplifts with a woodsy groove and soaring backing vocals. The narrative praises Lenker's lyricism on “Incomprehensible” and the title track's plea, framing these songs as evidence that the album's best tracks are those that blend family, acceptance and communal warmth. This is an album whose best songs feel born of the collective experience, gentle yet weighty, and the review frames them as the core reasons to seek out the record.

Key Points

• The best song is "Grandmother" because Laraaji's vocal feature and the synth-drenched build set a high watermark for the album.
• The album's core strengths are its themes of aging and family, warm communal arrangements, and an approachable acceptance that balances light and dark.

Themes

Critic's Take

The review highlights a handful of standout tracks—particularly the title track, Incomprehensible, Los Angeles, Grandmother and No Fear—as exemplars of Big Thief’s affirmation of human connection. The critic praises Lenker’s earnest, poetic lyrics and intimate delivery, noting the band’s expanded arrangements and contributions (eg Laraaji) that amplify the songs’ joy. The title track and Incomprehensible are cited for their lyrical summation of life’s tensions, while Grandmother and No Fear are singled out for their sonic and emotional distinctiveness. Overall the critic frames these songs as the album’s core strengths: melodic clarity, vivid lyricism and life-affirming warmth.

Key Points

• The title track best encapsulates the album’s life-affirming lyricism and thematic scope.
• The album’s core strengths are Lenker’s earnest poetic lyrics, intimate melodies, and vivid arrangements that celebrate human connection.

Themes

Critic's Take

The review highlights Double Infinity as Big Thief's most improvisational, meditative, and psychedelic record, emphasizing its loose, collaborative sessions and unconventional instrumentation. It praises the band recasting Adrianne Lenker's voice as a vamping instrument and notes the absence of their prior indie-rock/folk bops. The presence of collaborators from jazz and avant-garde circles is cited as a major factor in the album's experimental direction.

Key Points

• The best material emerges from the album's improvisational, meditative approach, with Lenker's voice used instrumentally.
• The album's core strengths are its collaborative, psychedelic textures and willingness to abandon conventional indie-rock/folk song forms.

Themes

Critic's Take

Big Thief's Double Infinity is presented as a record where everything falls into place, and the reviewer's eye keeps returning to the best tracks as proof. He praises “All Night All Day” for its "countrified crackle" and cites “Los Angeles” as having a folky breeze, while the harmony-led closer “How Could I Have Known” is singled out for its lilting, anthemic quality. The narrative frames “Incomprehensible” as the album's experimental centrepiece, suffused with a weird, spacey atmosphere that evolves into a powerful statement of self-empowerment. Overall the reviewer presents these songs as the best tracks on Double Infinity, evidence of Adrianne Lenker's songwriting in the form of her life.

Key Points

• The best song(s) like "All Night All Day" combine memorable lyricism with distinctive sonic character, exemplifying Lenker's songwriting peak.
• The album's core strengths are intimate arrangements, strong songwriting, and experiments that still feel warm and cohesive.

Themes

Critic's Take

In a voice that sits beside you on the bus, Big Thief make Double Infinity feel like an instant classic, anchored by the opener “Incomprehensible” and the gorgeous “All Night All Day”. Helen Brown’s concise admiration praises Lenker’s conversational lyricism and the band’s audible joy, noting the Malian-tinged bounce of “Words” and the jaunty mantra of “Happy with You” as clear highlights. The review frames the best tracks as both intimate and expansive, songs that balance small domestic detail with big, worldly grooves and singalong payoff.

Key Points

• The opener “Incomprehensible” is best for setting the album's thematic and melodic tone.
• The album’s core strengths are Lenker’s conversational lyricism and the band’s joyous, worldly instrumentation.

Themes

Critic's Take

Big Thief's Double Infinity feels like a fearless recalibration, where the best songs - notably “Incomprehensible” and “Double Infinity” - stake out the album's boldest territory. The reviewer's prose relishes Lenker's image-rich songwriting and the record's move toward percussive, psychedelic textures, arguing that opener “Incomprehensible” is a banger and title track a clear high point. Even when the band briefly falters on “Grandmother”, the momentum is restored by the stirring closer “How Could I Have Known”, which ties the album's themes of loss and acceptance together. This reads as an album that, while not the band's absolute best, keeps Big Thief's hot streak intact and offers several of the best tracks on Double Infinity for listeners to follow.

Key Points

• The title track is the album's high point because it succinctly bridges regret and desire while showcasing Lenker's shifting emotional verbs.
• The album's core strengths are Lenker's vivid songwriting, the band's willingness to experiment with percussive psychedelia, and consistent emotional focus.

Themes

Critic's Take

The review highlights several standout songs—'Incomprehensible', 'Words', 'Los Angeles', 'Grandmother', and 'No Fear'—for their lyrical depth, vocal performances and inventive arrangements. 'Incomprehensible' is praised for Lenker’s generational songwriting and its exploration of aging. 'Words' and 'Los Angeles' are noted for grappling language and evolving relationships, carried by expressive vocals and guitar. 'Grandmother' is elevated by Laraaji’s drones and revelatory moments, while 'No Fear' is singled out for its persistent, hypnotic repetition.

Key Points

• ‘Incomprehensible’ is best for showcasing Lenker’s generational songwriting and the album’s thematic opening.
• The album’s core strengths are its exploration of time, memory and relationships, and the expanded sonic textures from collaborators.

Themes

Critic's Take

The review highlights 'Happy With You', 'How Could I Have Known?' and 'Incomprehensible' as the album's strongest moments, praising their emotive impact and sonic expansion. 'Happy With You' is singled out for turning simple repeated lines into an "infectiously joyful" mantra thanks to groove and choir. The closer 'How Could I Have Known?' is noted for its narrative of loss elevated by a communal chorus. 'Incomprehensible' is praised for tender observations about aging, while 'No Fear' is criticised for failing to achieve the same force as the better repetitions.

Key Points

• ‘Happy With You’ is best for converting simple repeated lines into an infectious, powerful mantra.
• The album’s core strengths are its expanded, collaborative sounds and preserved introspective songwriting.

Themes

Critic's Take

The review highlights several standout songs—particularly "Los Angeles," "Grandmother," and "Incomprehensible"—for their emotional clarity and evocative imagery. "Los Angeles" is praised for its spare language and gorgeous imagery that conveys revived connection. "Grandmother" is noted for its poignant soundscape, expanded by Laraaji’s wordless vocalizations, even if its chorus feels slightly trite. "Incomprehensible" is discussed as articulating the album’s thematic core about language, aging, and emotional truth.

Key Points

• "Los Angeles" is best for its spare language and vivid imagery that conveys revived intimacy.
• The album’s strengths are Lenker’s vivid storytelling and the band’s expanded, psych-folk arrangements that prioritize feeling and impermanence.

Themes

Critic's Take

Big Thief return with Double Infinity, a lighter, concise folk-pop record that trades the sprawling majesty of their past for studio-improvised grooves. The reviewer's eye lingers on opening track “Incomprehensible”, calling it stunning in its musing on aging and eternity, which makes it one of the clear best songs on Double Infinity. There is praise for the band's chemistry and James Krivchenia's drumming even as the record's peppiness and occasional hokiness temper enthusiasm. In short, the best tracks - especially “Incomprehensible” - succeed through intimacy and instinct, even if the album as a whole feels purposely lighter than expected.

Key Points

• The best song is “Incomprehensible” for its stunning musing on aging and eternity.
• The album’s strengths are intimacy, studio-improvised grooves, and the band’s chemistry, despite a lighter, less ambitious scope.

Themes

Critic's Take

Big Thief sound liberated on Double Infinity, and the best songs - notably “Grandmother” and “Incomprehensible” - show why. The record revels in nature, paradox and an almost spiritual folk-rock scope, with “Grandmother” as the emotional centerpiece and “Incomprehensible” showcasing Lenker's malleable, angelic voice. Tracks like “No Fear” and “Los Angeles” amplify the album's spontaneous, communal feel, making clear which are the standout moments on Double Infinity.

Key Points

• "Grandmother" is the album's emotional centerpiece, combining spiritual instrumentation and moving lyrics about earth and mortality.
• Double Infinity's strengths are its melding of folk roots with experimental textures and Lenker's malleable, intimate vocals.

Themes

Critic's Take

The review singles out several standout tracks—"Incomprehensible," "Grandmother," and the title track—for their emotional range and sonic breadth. "Incomprehensible" is praised as a spacious meditation on memory and aging. "Grandmother" is called the album’s sweetest moment and noted for its collaborative warmth. The title track and "No Fear" are highlighted for their slow-core and miasmic expansiveness, respectively, showing the band’s range.

Key Points

• “Incomprehensible” is best for its spacious, poetic meditation on memory and aging.
• The album’s strengths are Lenker’s poetic songwriting and the band’s wide-ranging, immersive sonic textures.

Themes

Critic's Take

The review sings the praises of Big Thief's Double Infinity, naming “Words”, “Incomprehensible” and “No Fear” as standout moments. The writer frames the best songs on Double Infinity as where the trio's improvisatory freedom and Lenker's intimate songwriting converge, making “Words” a wistful, chugging highlight and “Incomprehensible” a gloriously warped opener. The tone is admiring but precise, crediting the band's leap from folk intimacy to experimental, warm expanses as the core reason these tracks land so effectively.

Key Points

• The best song, "Words", succeeds because its wistful, chugging arrangement fuses Lenker's intimate songwriting with bold experimentation.
• The album's core strength is its balance between folk intimacy and expansive, improvisatory arrangements built from collaboration.

Themes

Critic's Take

Big Thief's Double Infinity feels like a homecoming even as it pares things down, and the reviewer's eye keeps returning to the warm best tracks: “Los Angeles”, “Double Infinity” and “Grandmother”. Lenker's airy delivery and storytelling make “Los Angeles” a standout, its refrain and soaring vocals marking it among the best songs on Double Infinity. The title track “Double Infinity” offers the cushioned, contemplative centre that defines the album's mood. “Grandmother” is singled out for its generational reflection and haunting textures, sealing its place among the best tracks on the record.

Key Points

• The best song is “Los Angeles” because of its soaring refrain and rich storytelling that mark it as a standout.
• The album's core strengths are Lenker's songwriting, airy vocals, and contemplative folk textures that create a cosy, homecoming mood.

Themes

Critic's Take

The review singles out "Grandmother", "Words" and "Double Infinity" as the album's standout moments, praising their emotional breadth and inventive arrangements. "Grandmother" is highlighted for expanding Big Thief into electronica and world music via Laraaji's contributions. "Words" and the title track are noted for exploring communication and dualities with memorable melodies and compelling drones. The record's density and collaborative layering are credited with making familiar themes feel larger and more immediate.

Key Points

• "Grandmother" is best for its bold expansion of Big Thief's sound and Laraaji's central contributions.
• The album's core strengths are dense, collaborative arrangements that amplify Lenker's intimate, time-spanning songwriting.

Themes

Critic's Take

The review highlights several songs as standouts for their songwriting and emotional candor—notably “Incomprehensible,” “Words,” and “Grandmother”—while arguing the album’s polished production often dulls Big Thief’s usual intimacy. Lenker’s lyrics and vocal vulnerability are repeatedly praised, with specific moments called out for nakedness and yearning. Critic notes attempts to recapture earlier communal warmth on the closer but finds strings make it hokier. Overall the best songs are those where songwriting and voice breach the slick production.

Key Points

• "Incomprehensible" is best for opening a fresh, evocative lane with yearning vocals and glassy guitars.
• The album’s core strength is Lenker’s nakedly vulnerable songwriting, even when production mutes the band’s spontaneity.

Themes

Critic's Take

On Double Infinity, Big Thief confirms Adrianne Lenker as one of her generation's great songwriters, with best tracks like “Incomprehensible” and “How Could I Have Known” standing out. The review treats “Los Angeles” and the title track “Double Infinity” as vivid, stream-of-consciousness high points, while “Happy With You” and “All Night All Day” showcase rapture and lusty country energy respectively. This is an album of found sounds, stray conversations and jams that together make the best songs on Double Infinity feel heady and dreamlike.

Key Points

• The best song(s) like "Incomprehensible" pair authoritative songwriting with thematic weight, marking Lenker's strengths.
• The album's core strengths are Lenker's songwriting, the dreamlike atmosphere of found sounds, and stylistic range from country to dub.

Themes

Critic's Take

Big Thief's Double Infinity finds its best songs in quiet, persistent revelation - the title track and “How Could I Have Known” stand out for their spiritual clarity and emotional reach. Victoria Segal's prose savours Lenker's vivid specifics, so the best tracks on Double Infinity are the ones that pare detail to essentials, as on “Incomprehensible” and “Happy With You” where minimal lyrics accrue weight. The record is airier than past Big Thief albums yet still full of the band's stubborn archiving impulse, which makes the best songs feel both intimate and expansive. The result is an album whose top tracks reward repeated listening, revealing more of their grace each time.

Key Points

• The title track is best for its spiritual clarity and status as the album's emotional core.
• The album’s core strengths are vivid lyrical specifics, careful archiving of memory, and warm, improvisational arrangements.

Themes