Digging through widespread variety, 'Dragon New Mountain I Believe in You' showcases the band bounce back and float with freeing jubilance.
Observing the rise of acclaim from Big Thief is interesting at first glance. The kind of indie-folk band that gets easily tied with the critics and listeners alike due to the hushed, empathetic writing and performance that got bigger breakthroughs once they signed with 4AD. Personally, the group somehow won me over with their first two records as the small-scaled, personal yet dark writing got enough weight to compensate for the middling vocal hushes from Adrianne Lenker and middling compositions. But that seems to dull even further, where ‘U.F.O.F’ and ‘Two Hands’ provided even less growth from all fronts, especially in the lyrics that went underwritten and resulted in underwhelming projects.
However, Big Thief provided a well-needed bounceback with ‘Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You’. A double album that was recorded in 4 different locations that provided different production touches from all tracks. The worry that struck to mind is if the assortment of tracks will end up being a cohesive throughline, but that worry is pushed as Big Thief provided their most well-written, well-composed, and well-performed record to date.
To extend those points, it’s important that the record showcased an abundance of refreshing ideas executed well here. The vocals from Adrianne Lenker finally showcased some loosened flair and expanse, production flourishes that the band finally delves into as it delves into intimate folk and country atmospheres, clanking indie rock, and brittle psychedelia, compositions that tries to incorporate more balanced structures and hooks, and writing that details the expanse of time, life, death, and the personal experiences that fills within it.
It’s still important to emphasize that the record still comes off a bit stiff on certain corners. There are some songs that could’ve been rewritten or cut off as they don’t showcase enough important details in the overall tone that the writing is going for, some of the production touches especially the psychedelic tracks can sound rough and stands out like a sore thumb, and even if the flow doesn’t really fluctuate from front to back, the sudden lack of composition tightness from the back half can make the overall listening experience bumpy.
It took a few times to make sure if this record will win me over, and while there are flaws that left me personally a bit distant towards the feel of the album, it does showcase the leaps and bounds towards variety and changes that are a net positive for the entire band. So yes, it is great, and even if the flaws are aplenty, the great aspects of the record are some of the band's best highlights in their career thus far.
Favorite Tracks: Certainty, Time Escaping, Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You, Change, Little Things, Red Moon, Dried Roses, No Reason, Promise Is a Pendulum, Simulation Swarm, The Only Place, Blue Lightning, Spud Infinity
Least Favorite Track: Wake Me up to Drive