Curious about Big Thief but unsure where to start? They are a Brooklyn indie folk band built around Adrianne Lenker’s songwriting. Start with U.F.O.F. (2019), then work outward through the other albums.
This profile is part of our guide to indie folk artists.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Origin | Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2015 |
| Debut album | Masterpiece, Saddle Creek Records, 2016 |
| Second album | Capacity, 2017 |
| 2019 releases | U.F.O.F. (May) and Two Hands (October), on 4AD |
| Fifth album | Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You, February 2022 |
| First trio album | Double Infinity, September 2025 |
The figures come from the Big Thief Wikipedia article. They can change, so check the source before you rely on them.
Who is Big Thief?
Big Thief is an American band formed in Brooklyn, New York, in 2015. Its genre tags run across indie folk, Americana, folk rock, indie rock, alt-country and neo-psychedelia, which tells you the band does not sit still inside one style.
The line-up grew from two founding members: vocalist-guitarist Adrianne Lenker and guitarist Buck Meek. Lenker met Meek at a show in Boston, and they met again in Brooklyn as undergraduates. They began performing as a duo, toured that way in 2013, and released two EPs in 2014.
In 2015, after two years of playing together and building a small grassroots following, the pair looked for more members. They formed the band with drummer Jason Burger and bassist Max Oleartchik, a longtime friend of Meek’s.
Krivchenia joined later, first as a sound engineer, before he replaced Burger on drums. All four members of the band attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, so the group began as a set of musicians who had trained and played in the same scene.
That background helps explain the band’s approach. The music rests on a songwriter’s words and guitar, but the arrangements leave room for the other players to react to each other instead of simply backing a singer.
The albums in order
The easiest way to follow the band is by release date. Each record shifts the sound a little, so the list below gives you a map rather than a ranking.
- Masterpiece (2016): the debut, released on Saddle Creek Records.
- Capacity (2017): the second studio album.
- U.F.O.F. (May 2019): the first of two albums the band released that year after signing to 4AD.
- Two Hands (October 2019): the second 2019 album, released later the same year.
- Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You (February 2022): the fifth studio album.
- Double Infinity (September 2025): the first album as a trio.
Wikipedia describes both 2019 albums as critically acclaimed. That makes them the natural entry points if you want the band at a high point of critical attention.
Where to begin listening
If you like quiet, close-up songwriting, start with U.F.O.F. It was nominated for Best Alternative Music Album at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards, which makes it a safe first step.
Two Hands is the sister record from the same year. Play them back to back and you can hear how a band can release a pair of albums in a single year and still make each feel distinct.
Here is a simple route through the catalogue:
- Open with U.F.O.F., a critically acclaimed entry point.
- Move to Two Hands for its companion.
- Go back to Masterpiece and Capacity to hear the earlier, rawer band.
- Finish with Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You and Double Infinity to hear where the band has gone since.
Treat this as one suggestion. Songwriting this personal lands differently for everyone, so follow whichever track pulls you in first.
What to listen for
Pay attention to the lyrics first.
Then listen to the guitars.
Finally, notice how the band handles space. Pauses, held notes and a slightly loose feel are part of the style, so a song that seems unfinished on first play may reward a second listen.
Ways to make the albums last
- Listen to one album start to finish before you skip around.
- Read the lyrics once while a song plays.
- Return to an album after a few weeks, since quieter records often grow on you.
Awards and recognition
The band’s Grammy history is a useful marker of how far it travelled from a small Brooklyn duo. U.F.O.F. earned a nomination for Best Alternative Music Album at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards.
The song “Not” was nominated for Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards. For an act tagged indie folk, rock categories show how widely its music has been heard.
Nominations are not a measure of whether you will enjoy a record, but they show that critics and industry voters noticed the band. Use them as a pointer, then let your own ears decide which album earns a permanent place on your shelf.
If you are new to the genre, the band also works as a bridge. Its songs sit close enough to traditional folk to feel familiar, while the electric guitars and looser structures point toward rock, which makes the catalogue a useful way into wider indie folk listening.
Line-up changes and the trio era
Drummer James Krivchenia replaced founding drummer Jason Burger after the debut album. From then on, the core group was Lenker, Meek, Oleartchik and Krivchenia.
Founding bassist Max Oleartchik left in June 2024, after nine years with the band, which cited “interpersonal reasons”. Joshua Crumbly now plays bass for live performances, according to the Wikipedia article.
In September 2025 the band released Double Infinity, its first album as a trio. It was recorded with the participation of several session musicians, so the sound is not strictly three people in a room.
A change like this can alter how a band sounds live and on record. If you came to the group through its 2019 albums, the newer records are worth hearing as a separate chapter rather than a copy of what came before.
If you like Big Thief, try these
If you enjoy hushed, literate songwriting, Iron & Wine is a natural next stop for its gentle, close-mic folk.
For a different angle on confessional writing, read about Phoebe Bridgers, whose songs share some of the same emotional directness.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Big Thief from?
Show answer
The band formed in Brooklyn, New York, in 2015, growing out of a duo of Adrianne Lenker and Buck Meek.
Which Big Thief album should I hear first?
Show answer
U.F.O.F. is a good start. It came out in May 2019 and was nominated for a Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album.
Who is in Big Thief now?
Show answer
Wikipedia lists Adrianne Lenker, Buck Meek and James Krivchenia as members. Max Oleartchik left in June 2024, and Double Infinity in September 2025 was the first album as a trio.
Which labels has the band released music on?
Show answer
Masterpiece came out on Saddle Creek Records in 2016. In 2019 the band signed to 4AD.
