i sometimes feel like i'm alone in my insane obsession w these guys. good to know i'm not

@johnnymancspice

2 жыл бұрын

Ditto. Phew!

@TheRyanH.

Жыл бұрын

Definitely not, they've been my most played on spotify since 2018, I can't get enough

@rickashley2322

Жыл бұрын

You're not :) We're with u

@wandermit6714

Жыл бұрын

seriously. i want to talk to ppl about how much i love them, but a lot of their fans are people interested in obsecure music who don't use the internet a lot, so it's hard for me to find someone who likes them.

@johnnymancspice

Жыл бұрын

@@wandermit6714 they kept me sane thru lockdown n now we’re all out n they’re gigging again, even at the Best Kept Secret where Adrianne forgot the lyrics n they way James helped her, it made me love them even more. I do little singer songwriter gigs n if anything it gave me more confidence knowing it happens to her too 💜

This video needs an update since New Dragon came out and showed that, as predicted, they are not at all done evolving musically. Truly an outstanding group.

Another “feature” of their sound is Buck’s “weak” backing vocal. Very intentional.

Buck has said that his dancing/swaying specifically helps him keep up with Adrianne's strange sense of rhythm

Some good points here and a lot still left to say. 1. Adrianne's lyrics are distinct in their poeticims and use of both concrete and imaginative imagery. "You lie in bed at night and watch the lines of headlights through your screen" from "Mythological Beauty," for example, is just an incredible image. That whole song and many others are phenomenal for their storytelling through images and raw vulnerable personal refelection - which Arianne writes with conviction from her own experience. 2. Use of extended chords that serve the melody and shape of the song. These are used tastefully, not just for the sake of throwing in weird chords. Adrianne's use of alternate and open tunings must be discused here. She often plays an ostinato chord arpeggio (repeated pattern) with a moving melody or bassline (or both) on top of it. This technique creates really interesting voicings and harmonies that would not be available in standard tuning. 3. Rhythm. Big Thief seems to write in several rhythmic modes - Some songs fall into a consitent, repetitive, but often complex groove through the whole song ("Shark smile", "Not"). Also some songs that have super distinct, varying rhythm, and timing changes ("Animals," "Real Love" "Haley"). James and Adrianne's musical interplay has a lot to do with this. Also, many songs have subtle but really intersting time signature changes, skipping beats, or adding them in places in ways that add interest. "Objects," "Cattails", and "Orange" all do this. Or try counting Adrianne's solo song "Kerina"...it's sort of in 5/4 sort of in 3/4, not really either. Adrianne seems to just write this organically feeling the rythm as it fits with the lyrics and musical accompaniment. Point is they mix it up where a lot of bands don't and things start to sound samey. 4. Bass. While James holds down the rhythm, Max often plays melodic fills higher up on the bass neck that complement the vocal line. This is a somewhat unusual technique compared to most bassists/drummers who stricly lock into the rhythm. As players every member of the band is particlarly good at complementing each other's playing while not getting in eachother's way.

@NewGrooveVinylClub

2 жыл бұрын

Yo start a KZread channel. I appreciate your observations and there’s a lot of unfocused, Ill-defined musical criticism on KZread

@timothwaites8853

2 жыл бұрын

Spot on! Very nice to read this, thanks:)

@ikasten07

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing this mate. ✨

i cannot describe how much i love this band.

no other combination of musicians could've formed this band. they're god damn incredible.

Perhaps the most gripping opening lines on any Big Thief Song for me are from Orange on UFOF Orange is the color of my love Fragile orange wind in the garden Fragile means that I can hear her flesh Crying little rivers in her forearm Fragile is that I mourn her death As our limbs are twisting in her bedroom Would love to see a video on Adrianne's writing and her amazing solo work!

@sergescardigno

3 жыл бұрын

orange is such a delicate and intimate tune i find myself going back to a lot. absolutely great writing there!

The fundamental underpinning of the band sound by Max's ethereal bass playing is conspicuous by its absence in this appreciation.

4:11 when I saw them live, it was like at least 5 minutes of that lol. It's great though. It was a similar in the guitar solo for Not, like 5 minutes of Adrianne absolutely wailing on guitar. 10/10 performance.

@sergescardigno

2 жыл бұрын

haha damn lucky you!

favorite bt lyric right now is totally "the wound has no direction, everybody needs a home and deserves protection". some real shit

@sergescardigno

3 жыл бұрын

ah forgotten eyes! love that track, feel like it doesn’t get enough love

I have too many favorite Lyric's of Big Thief and Adrianne, but whenever I hear "Heaven is stitching across me, my chest is the crossing" it sends shivers down my soul

@avemaria109

2 жыл бұрын

My apologies for the bad grammar I am stoned as all hell writing this

@sergescardigno

2 жыл бұрын

HAHAH

@sergescardigno

2 жыл бұрын

no this is a great great pick, you did well

thank you. “nobody could kiss away my shit” and i love your videos they make me curious about artists i’ve heard before but haven’t fallen i love with yet!

@sergescardigno

3 жыл бұрын

a classic line all of us can relate to lol - and thank you!! appreciate ya :)

Buck's tone on Shark Smile is definitely crafted to the song, aquatic and crashing yet echoing and pitchy. Fits in perfectly. I think Adrienne is responsible for her rhythm tone which is critical as the balance to Buck's lead. On their KEXP set they play Shoulders and I would say her tone is even more critical/apparent live, pulling from Neil Young and other similar influences yet blending them with the rest of the band. She also plays with a thumb pick allowing for blended tones from fingerpicking to flatpicking allowing for a range especially when utilizing distortion. Not far into the video right now but really excited about this content. Had to pause to comment but back to it!

i cannot express in words how much i LOVE this!! actually all of your band/ music breakdowns are so amazing. a lyric deepdive would be great. i honestly just love your musical perspective & knowledge so whatever you choose i'll be a happy camper :)

@sergescardigno

3 жыл бұрын

so glad you loved it ❤️

An excellent analysis! They’re soooo gooood live.

Another great video Sergio!! Was looking up Big Thief live recordings to get ready to see them next year and this analysis is just so spot on

@sergescardigno

Жыл бұрын

haha thanks laur! appreciate it, super happy you got into em :)

The lyrics to that new Spud Infinity song... wow. So incredibly clever. An AI could never come up with that. I know bc I work in AI.

@staticdistance

2 жыл бұрын

Love that one! It’s got some serious John Prine vibes.

love your videos. you do such a great job producing them.

Sergio, thank you so much for making this video. You put into words what I’ve felt about James’ drumming style. The music overall is deeply mesmerizing/entrancing. I saw them live back in 2018 or whenever UFOF came out, and I just remember Adrianne screaming. Pure raw energy and it still sticks with me. My most played song on Spotify this past year was the Bunker Studio recording of Black Diamonds, because the screaming Adrianne does feels so cathartic to listen to. Thank you so much for making this!!! Something I was hoping you would talk about, which I know you’re perfectly capable of doing, is Adrianne’s/ Big Thief’s use of the 12 string guitar. I’ve played one since the pandemic started, and it makes me admire their playing so much more because they are very much in control of how they play. Thank you again and thanks for coming to my mini talk!!!

Very underrated channel, this video is golddddd

Thank you for such an insightful and thoughtful review of this fabulous band. Clearly you listen with an artists heart . All the best to you young sir .

@sergescardigno

2 жыл бұрын

this means a ton, thank u sir :)

I think you nailed it in talking about their overall sound and feel being greater than the sum of its parts; their music just always puts me in an emotional atmosphere and I’m rarely focused on a particular player. I know nothing about music, but do appreciate the drumming, too. Lyricist and tone, a complete package, but unbound.

@sergescardigno

2 жыл бұрын

very well said! i broke a lot of things down here but you’re right, the sum is greater than the parts

They are reinventing great music !! Adrianne, along with Big Thief, is an amazing singer/songwriter/composer/artist. One of my new favorite artists for sure !! :))

Bro thank you so much for doing a vid on big thief. THANK YOUUUU

@sergescardigno

2 жыл бұрын

haha thank YOU for watchin it :)

Adrienne went to Berklee for Guitar so it's a little off to contribute the tonal sound to just Buck when they are both experts at guitar.

@sergescardigno

2 жыл бұрын

yes I actually just saw Adrianne and I didn’t realize how amazing she was solo - she can definitely play but that’s why I said I was only guessing that tonal decisions came from Buck, just so Adrianne could focus on songwriting yk - I could be wrong!

@bailiff360

2 жыл бұрын

I would agree that Adrienne definitely makes her own guitar decisions. Her tone is wildly different from Buck's and she takes the majority of solos live. She is way too thoughtful of a songwriter to let her guitar tone be dictated by someone else in the band. Buck's guitar sound is ethereal and crucial to the sound of Big Thief, but Adrienne is definitely a singular artist making her own decisions on that front. She absolutely shreds!

Very interesting, good job Sergio!

@sergescardigno

3 жыл бұрын

ty!!

Thank you for your insights Sergio.I enjoyed your synopsys and it got my wheels turning.I love this band! Sounds like you have a theory background, but you marshal it well speaking to a broad audience. Well done brother.❤

@sergescardigno

Жыл бұрын

thank you

i'm late lol but my favorite lyrics are "your hands were making artifacts in the corner of my mind" and "heaven is stitching across me, my chest is the crossing"

@sergescardigno

Жыл бұрын

both really good picks

Best band out there! Can’t wait to see them again!

@sergescardigno

Жыл бұрын

they rip!

Dude bless you for making this video

@sergescardigno

2 жыл бұрын

bless u for watchin man

Very well done!

@sergescardigno

3 жыл бұрын

ty!!

Thanks for this, I really love Big Thief and this is such a good breakdown on their sound! I’d love to hear your thoughts on Joanna Newsom, aside from Adrianne, she’s my favorite songwriter

@sergescardigno

3 жыл бұрын

happy you enjoyed! if i’m being honest i haven’t listened, but i’ll have to check her out!

@BradleyRegister

Жыл бұрын

Hope I’m not stepping in it here, but for me Joanna never did better than “The Milk Eyed Mender” and it’s incredible. The line in Sadie, “but the water got so cold, and you do lose what you don’t hold..” still gets me every time.

On stage too you can just tell they know and trust each other!!

I heard Not in the car, became obsessed with the sound.

Thoroughly enjoyed this!! 💙 B-)

@sergescardigno

3 жыл бұрын

:))

Alex G would be sick but the dude has so much discography haha

@sergescardigno

3 жыл бұрын

one half hour analysis of Sarah

@condogwow

2 жыл бұрын

Would love to hear analysis of Alex's evolution !

Just discovered you. Thank you for doing a video on Big Thief

Great video, thank you!

@sergescardigno

2 жыл бұрын

thank YOU!

I’d be sooo into an Andy Shauf video!!

@sergescardigno

3 жыл бұрын

noted :)

@jh7574

3 жыл бұрын

@@sergescardigno I've become ridiculously obsessed with both Big Thief and Andy Shauf since discovering them in 2019. Both are consummate musicians, but their musical styles and approach to songwriting & production are very different. I'm interested to find that some other people are drawn to both of these artists; how many, I've no idea. Maybe it's more than I thought...

@sergescardigno

3 жыл бұрын

you’d be surprised!

Please do another Big Thief vid!! So much to talk about songwriting-wise

really enjoyed this video still listen to Masterpiece on a weekly basis

@sergescardigno

3 жыл бұрын

glad :) - and yea big thief is p much always in my rotation - lots of masterpiece and two hands

My fav band 2023

I prefer every live version better because the energy of the band playing together is the really special thing about them. Perfect chemistry

@dizzygee87

2 жыл бұрын

The drum style he plays is syncopated also, makes it for me! Especially live

@sergescardigno

2 жыл бұрын

i still need to see them live UGH

@dizzygee87

2 жыл бұрын

@@sergescardigno Meetoo, im in canada, they dont get up here much, im jut referring to what ive seen on here. Cant even imagine live i might just liftoff the face of the planet!

sooooooo good. yes pls adrianne vid

@sergescardigno

2 жыл бұрын

thank ya!!

Amazinggg! Do Coldplay next. Or Snail Mail.

@sergescardigno

3 жыл бұрын

🤠🐌📩

Great vid, to deeper understand their music. im doing a big thief tribute at my music University:) can’t wait haha mega fan here🙋🏼‍♂️

@sergescardigno

2 жыл бұрын

thank you! and no way that's awesome, best of luck!

@timothwaites8853

2 жыл бұрын

@@sergescardigno thanks!

Subbed. Great job.

@sergescardigno

2 жыл бұрын

ty man!

After diving in the drum parts i found that James often uses the same pattern/sticking that is based on the main melody or a melody that is also used in other melodic parts. That is a powerful thing in its self. But he plays that pattern in very specific places for example: when Adrianne stops singing for one bar, or at the end of the chord loop. I found this very funny because at first i thought het was just playing some random cool stuff carried by his emotion/intensity. I also think that the instrumentation and intensity of the fills are key. For example, James wil play the fill pattern very subtile on just hihat snare and kick. But every time he plays the fill he will upgrade it by putting an accent on a tom or an open hihat or maybe accent some different hits. I noticed those things especially in the songs “Not” and “U.F.O.F”. Let me know if you think i am right or if i am forgetting something here:)

@sergescardigno

2 жыл бұрын

I think you're right on the money with James' work being about feel and intensity - this is something the whole band operates on, and James operates at the center of it all. Him playing in the way he does allows for others to remain loose and play in the same way

since masterpiece, i think this band is really "something" and they have proven it until now. That is why they're one at the top of my list.

Omg I got into them after DNWMIBIY and I'd love to hear what you have to say about that album

4:22 literally just quentin tarantino jamming

strong believer they are one of the best-- if not the very best-- bands of our generation

@sergescardigno

2 жыл бұрын

huge retweet

Im so glad im not the only person whos insanely feral about them. Theyre just. Christ alive canine poetry dude Edit: yes youre correct on the vocals thing! The "head voice" refers to brighter sounds + higher resonance

New to the channel, I would love to know your thoughts on Bent Knee, or really any band that incorporates ambient textures in rock music.good luck and keep up the good work

Sergio. I know you have this “sound” video for big thief. But I dare you to do a music theory deep dive on the band. I feel like with Adrianne’s unique approaches to songwriting-her being one of the goats to ever do it-and just how odd some songs can be compared to a lot of the more traditional stuff they have been doing as of late, would lend to a remarkable theory video essay. Please my guy!!!

I would love to hear you talk about Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You!

This was brilliant. And yes, Andy Shauf would be awesome!

@sergescardigno

3 жыл бұрын

:) glad you enjoyed! yes yes him, maybe tallest man, maybe fjm - have been on a songwriter kick lately

@hayleyb467

3 жыл бұрын

@@sergescardigno fjm would be AWESOME

cool vid! now where's that andy shauf one?

yes make a vid on adrienne lenkerrr

@sergescardigno

3 жыл бұрын

hehe i just might

@eduardomachado3356

3 жыл бұрын

Sergio Scardigno 3:30 am here in brazil and im binging ur videos lol, please do itttt

@sergescardigno

3 жыл бұрын

ahahah obrigado amigo - i’m workin on a few other things for the channel right now, but if enough people want me to dive back into her, i definitely will :)

@carmach59

3 жыл бұрын

@@sergescardigno Hoping for a video on Adrianne's writing and solo work too! I think her "songs" album ranks as high up as any of the Big Thief records!

Please cover Elena Tonra's band Daughter too

You need to believe in yourself more dude, don’t keep trying to counter yourself be confident in what your saying it’s a really good video

A video about Andy Shauf A video about Andy Shauf A video about Andy Shauf (btw just stumbled upon this channel, it's everything I've been looking for, keep it up!)

@sergescardigno

3 жыл бұрын

hehe it will come!! i just need to dive into his earlier discography and get a better feel for it (and tysm that means a lot :))

Using the Grindr notification?

I’d watch the hell out of an Andy Shauf video.

@sergescardigno

2 жыл бұрын

me too!

8:50 thanks KEXP :)

@sergescardigno

2 жыл бұрын

a lovely organization

Por favor, um vídeo novo sobre o álbum solo da Adrianne e o Dragon New Warm Mountain :)

Which photo is the thumbnail based on? It’s gorgeous...

@sergescardigno

3 жыл бұрын

thank you! i commissioned my friend for it, i think she based it off this: www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/big-thief-ufof-interview-827486/

@LiuJimmyJymzo

3 жыл бұрын

Your friend sounds amazing 😍😍😍 is there any chance you can send me to print as wallpaper? liujimmy0215@gmail.com but don’t worry if you don’t want to

And Dragon is...transcendent? yes. this

What do you mean by consonant for Masterpiece?

@sergescardigno

Жыл бұрын

lots of songs based in major, lots of major harmonies, brighter tones, traditional but big grooves - just stuff that makes your brain happy in a good way musically

what is the first song in the video called?

@sergescardigno

Жыл бұрын

Vegas!

What about the bass player? Am I missing something? I am new to this wonderful band, but there is a bass player.

I tried to tell you I didn't know how to stay you believe she can see through cutting at the silent clay

i think adrianne can be vocalist of the cranberries, she is looks like dolores IMHO.

Andy video please :)

@sergescardigno

2 жыл бұрын

it's on the list :)

I'll be your morning bright goodnight shadow machine, I'll be your record player baby if you know what I mean

‘This place smells like piss and beer, can you get me out’

I want to be your friend

we like the same bands. adrianne probably has something to do with tone too.

Bro as if your not doing Andy shauffff

Not a single word about the bass player?

Years, days... Makes no difference to me babe

Why wouldn't Adrianne be responsible for her own guitar tone? That's a really clumsy assumption to make...

@sergescardigno

Жыл бұрын

I didn’t say she wasn’t responsible, I just said Buck is responsible for crafting what I was about to talk about, which was mostly lead guitar tone - could’ve been phrased more precisely sure, but obviously adrianne has her own board lol

Sorry man, sloppy is an offensive word for a drummer. Hi is the opposite of sloppy. And his hits are just as tight as Paak's

Wh do you talk like that?

They try hard not to be pop … , a lot grimacing, Adrianne look man or woman !? Guitars parts pretty weak, i dont want play cover … but overall good, is in my playlist!