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Feb 26, 2019 Big Thief By Christopher Roberts

Big Thief have announced a new album, U.F.O.F., and shared its first single, the similarly titled “UFOF.” They have also announced some tour dates. U.F.O.F. is due out May 3 via 4AD, their first for the label after two albums on Saddle Creek. The “F” in the title stands for “friendship.” Listen to “UFOF” below, followed by the album’s tracklist and cover art, as well as the tour dates.

The album is the follow-up to 2017’s Capacity and 2016’s debut album, Masterpiece. Last fall Big Thief’s singer/songwriter/guitarist Adrianne Lenker released a new solo album, abysskiss, via Saddle Creek. Lenker and the rest of the band (guitarist Buck Meek, bassist Max Oleartchik, and drummer James Krivchenia) recorded the album at Bear Creek Studios in rural western Washington. The album was tracked live with engineer Dom Monks and producer Andrew Sarlo.

A press release states that lyrically, ”U.F.O.F. is a dream in the dark,” adding that “characters and scenery interact outside of time. Names of mystery women appear, then disappear. Cruelties flash. Pronouns meld. There is a darkness here, but it’s not one to be feared.”

Lenker adds: “Making friends with the unknown… All my songs are about this. If the nature of life is change and impermanence, I’d rather be uncomfortably awake in that truth than lost in denial.”

Big Thief are partnering with Plus1 for their North American shows, with $1 from every ticket sold in the U.S. going to benefit SAEF, Little Kids Rock and Youth Speaks. Shows in Canada will benefit DANS LA RUE, Sketch, and UNYA.

Read our 2016 Pleased to Meet You interview with Big Thief.

Read our 2017 interview with Big Thief on Capacity.

U.F.O.F. Tracklist:

1. Contact
2. UFOF
3. Cattails
4. From
5. Open Desert
6. Orange
7. Century
8. Strange
9. Betsy
10. Terminal Paradise
11. Jenni
12. Magic Dealer

Big Thief Tour Dates:

Sat. Apr. 20 - San Diego, CA @ Irenic
Thu. May 2 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre
Fri. May 3 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Bootleg Theater
Sun. May 5 - Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere
Sat. May 18 - Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club (SOLD OUT)
Sun. May 19 - Glasgow, UK @ SWG3
Tues. May 21 - Dublin, IR @ Vicar Street
Wed. May 22 - Manchester, UK @ The Ritz
Thu. May 23 - London, UK @ Roundhouse
Fri. May 24 - Bristol, UK @ SWX
Sun. May 26 - Cambridge, UK @ Cambridge Junction
Mon. May 27 - Paris, FR @ Trabendo
Tue. May 28 - Brussels, BE @ Orangerie
Thu. May 30 - Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Sound
Fri. May 31 - Nîmes, FR @ This Is Not a Love Song Festival
Sun. June 2 - Amsterdam, NL @ Best Kept Secret
Mon. June 3-6 - Marina Di Ravenna, IT @ Beaches Brew Festival
Mon. June 3 - Berlin, DE @ Lido
Tue. June 4 - Zurich, CH @ Bogen F
Sat. June 8 - Porto, PT @ NOS Privaera Sound
Tue. August 6-10 - Oslo, NO @ Oya Festival
Thu. August 8 - Copenhagen, DK @ Lille Vega
Thu. August 15-18 - Wales, UK @ Green Man Festival
Fri. August 16 - Hasselt, BE @ Pukkelpop Festival
Thu. Oct. 10 - New York, NY @ Webster Hall
Fri. Oct. 11 - New York, NY @ Webster Hall
Sat. Oct. 12 - South Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
Sun. Oct. 13 - Boston, MA @ Wilbur Theatre
Tue. Oct. 15 - Montreal, QC @ La Tulipe
Wed. Oct. 16 - Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre
Fri. Oct. 18 - Chicago, IL @ Metro
Mon. Oct. 21 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
Thu. Oct. 24 - Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
Fri. Oct. 25 - Vancouver, BC @ Vogue Theatre
Sat. Oct. 26 - Seattle, WA @ Moore Theatre
Mon. Oct. 28 - San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
Fri. Nov. 1 - Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom
Sat. Nov. 2 - Albuquerque, NM @ Sister
Mon. Nov. 4 - Austin, TX @ Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheatre
Tue. Nov. 5 - Dallas, TX @ Trees
Thu. Nov. 7 - Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse
Fri. Nov. 8 - Saxapahaw, NC @ Haw River Ballroom
Sat. Nov. 9 - Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
Sun. Nov. 10 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club

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