Big Thief’s “Mythological Beauty” Is a Feat of Storytelling

On Big Thief’s debut, Masterpiece, guitarist/vocalist Adrianne Lenker gracefully examined the intricacies of her personal relationships, from childhood conspirators to objects of affection. She digs even deeper on “Mythological Beauty,” the first single from the Brooklyn quartet’s sophomore record, Capacity. Here, she meditates on themes of parenthood, sacrifice, and mortality—empathizing with the overwhelming responsibility her mother took on at a very young age. “You held me in the backseat with a dishrag/Soaking up blood with your eye/I was just 5 and you were 27/Praying don’t let my baby die,” she yowls over gentle, tempered guitars and soft drums. While recalling this traumatic incident, Lenker realizes that her mother’s mistakes are only human.

Alongside visceral details of cut thumbs and gushing wounds, the song’s compassion hums in its steady guitars and quiet drums. And then, of course, there’s the rawness in Lenker’s delivery, which is staggering in its capacity to convey pain with the slightest shifts in tone. This quality, plus her vivid lyrics and evident personal investment, sets Lenker apart as a storyteller. Although “Mythological Beauty” is a special kind of story, it occupies a middle ground between those you share quietly in loud bars and those that feel too sacred to even tell. It’s a story you only reveal after some hard-won reflection.

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