Perfect Pitch: “Double Infinity”

Belmont Vision Multimedia, Zach Watkins

Welcome back to another edition of “Perfect Pitch,” a series where members of the Belmont Vision review the latest releases in music and look for the next big thing.   

This week, we’ll be discussing “Double Infinity,” the sixth studio album from indie-rock band Big Thief. 

Based in Brooklyn, New York, Big Thief has released music for almost a decade, debuting with the album “Masterpiece” in 2016. The band is known for their thought provoking songwriting and alternative-folk inspired production. Lead singer and guitarist Adrianne Lanker also contributes to the group's popularity because of her successful solo career. In 2024, Max Oleartchik left the group, leaving the band as a trio for "Double Infinity.”  

Big Thief released several singles leading up to the full album over the summer including “Incomprehensible,” “All Night All Day” and “Grandmother” featuring Laraaji. Utilizing live music and improvisation, Big Thief expresses themes of aging, memory, regret and the human experience in the face of eternity. “Double Infinity” runs for 42 minutes with nine songs, contrasting their previous album, “Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You,” which ran 80 minutes with 20 songs. 

Name: Benjamin Tino - Vision Writer

Overall Rating: 6/10

General Thoughts: 

Big Thief has a lot of different modes when it comes to their music, and the mode that they were in on this album was not my favorite. Comparing this album to their previous works, “Double Infinity” does not feel like the grand albums that Big Thief has given us in the past. In recent efforts, this group's albums have always been conceptually sharp, and their songs have always been very purposefully placed. A lot of the tracks on this album seem to mindlessly meander and not go anywhere. The album as a whole feels like a jam band album, and while that is not a bad thing, Big Thief does not do it as well as I would like them to. While I do think this album has some very high points with some of my favorite Big Thief tracks yet, the lows throughout this project do not convince me that this is a worthy addition to one of the best modern discographies in music.

Favorite Song: “Double Infinity”

Least Favorite song: “Grandmother”

Favorite Lyric: “The butterflies on the summer breeze/The wildflowers sway with ease/At the bridge of two infinities/What’s been lost and what lies waiting”

How does Big Thief’s new album, “Double Infinity," reflect or diverge from Adrianne Lenker’s solo work in terms of sound, emotion, and lyrical themes?

Adrianne Lenker has been one of the most commanding voices in music recently, and this new Big Thief album was not able to reflect that. Despite my love for the band's earlier records, Adrianne’s solo catalog has always been the best part of her music. She has continued to level up her sound with each solo album, and makes a great argument for the best modern songwriter. This album was unable to capture that greatness, but this was also not the point of the project. This album feels separate from anything she has ever done, and while that is not a bad thing, the album would have turned out better if they played to her strengths.

Does “Double Infinity” fully showcase Big Thief's songwriting and production strengths, despite its sub-hour runtime?

The album’s run time is not where it falls short. As a fan of concise albums, I was looking forward to how Big Thief was going to pack their usual greatness into a short runtime. However, they simply went an entirely different direction with this project. The loose feel of the project makes it feel more like a tape, and not much like a studio album experience. The songs could have been much more fleshed out, and while it is wonderfully produced, I do not think the album played to their strengths.

 Nick Rampe - Managing Editor 

Overall Rating: 7/10

General Thoughts: 

Big Thief’s “Double Infinity” continues a strong run of albums from the group and Adrienne Lenker. Three years after the band’s previous album, “Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You,” this record follows in its indie-folk footsteps. Big Thief’s specialty is creating heartfelt, vulnerable and deeply earnest music backed by plucky, grounded instrumentation, and this album is no exception. While it doesn’t quite reach the same highs as the band’s previous works, it is still a solid and enjoyable listen.

Favorite Song: “Incomprehensible”

Least Favorite song: “No Fear”

Favorite Lyric: “Swallow poison, swallow sugar, sometimes they taste the same, but I know your love is neither, and love is just a name.”

How does Big Thief’s new album, “Double Infinity," reflect or diverge from Adrianne Lenker’s solo work in terms of sound, emotion, and lyrical themes?

I think Lenker’s solo work is typically more vulnerable and raw in both instrumentation and songwriting than her work with Big Thief. The themes are typically the same, but her solo work allows her to fully express herself. Both her solo work and her work in the band are fantastic, and I switch which one I prefer based on my mood.

Does “Double Infinity” fully showcase Big Thief's songwriting and production strengths, despite its sub-hour runtime?

I’m not sure it reaches its full potential, but I don’t think that’s due to runtime. This album is still nearly 45 minutes long, which is plenty of time to get across a theme or general thoughts. However, Big Thief’s previous album, which I think is better than this one, has a runtime of 80 minutes. It’s possible that this album being more condensed caused a slight dip in quality, but still, this album is quite good.

Samantha Graessle - Arts and Entertainment Editor  

Overall Rating: 7.5/10 

General Thoughts: 

“Double Infinity" plays highly into Big Thief's strengths, capturing vulnerable lyrics while toying with different folk inspired melodies. The playful vocals and instrumentation draw the listener straight into the studio, like one is there hearing the live recording. I appreciate their capacity to tackle existential topics while keeping their music away from sounding straight up depressing. However, while Big Thief played highly into their strengths with “Double Infinity,” I think they did not really try to branch out and experiment with this album and the lyricism could feel very repetitive. 

Favorite Song: “All Night All Day”

Least Favorite song: “Double Infinity” 

Favorite Lyric: “Swallow poison, swallow sugar, sometimes they taste the same, but I know your love is neither, and love is just a name.” 

How does Big Thief’s new album, “Double Infinity," reflect or diverge from Adrianne Lenker’s solo work in terms of sound, emotion, and lyrical themes?

Adrianne Lenker’s sound is often more vulnerable, with minimal instrumentation and emphasis on her raw vocals. While Big Thief has a similar sound they usually employ more instruments to emphasize their sound. This project follows that pattern, which I think makes a good differentiation between Adrianna Lenker's work and Big Thief, allowing her to have an established sound outside the band. 

Does “Double Infinity” fully showcase Big Thief's songwriting and production strengths, despite its sub-hour runtime?

While this album is significantly shorter than their previous, I think Big Thief’s sound is still fully encapsulated in this album. However, back to an earlier point, I think they did not create anything unique or special with this album, instead staying within the confines of their comfort zone. 

Name: Greer Patten - Photography Editor

Overall Rating: 7/10

General Thoughts:

“Double Infinity” is a quick, yet highly emotional album. Big Thief leaned heavily into their more vulnerable side though softer songs and deeply meaningful lyrics. Duality and paradox are extremely prevalent with topics such as constant, unwavering love in a changing world. This paradox is evident in the contrast of upbeat songs versus the more grounded songs. However, some of the songs almost feel rushed, both musically and lyrically. Despite the shortened time of the album, there are some severely weak spots. 

Favorite Song: “All Night All Day” 

Least Favorite song: “Happy with You”

Favorite Lyric: “And they say time's the fourth dimension/They say everything lives and dies/

But our love will live forever”

How does Big Thief’s new album, “Double Infinity," reflect or diverge from Adrianne Lenker’s solo work in terms of sound, emotion, and lyrical themes?

Lenker’s solo work is at the core of Big Thief’s work. The vulnerability and character of her work is reflected in the rawness of the album. However, Big Thief was able to take Lenker’s work and build off of it to create a more full feeling. Lenker’s work is extremely intimate, while “Double Infinity” feels like it is on a much larger scale and stage. 

Does “Double Infinity” fully showcase Big Thief's songwriting and production strengths, despite its sub-hour runtime?

“Double Infinity” does a really good job of showing off the different things Big Thief can do. There is high quality production that makes it an immersive album. “Double Infinity” also shows their emotional versatility. They are able to go from quiet to expansive songs, and do both wonderfully. The main aspect they fell short at a couple times was the songwriting. A couple of the songs felt oversimplified and almost rushed, making them stand out against the extremely put-together songs of the album. With the shorter runtime, I expected every song to feel very thought out and well done. That said, the album is a wonderful listen and a great dichotomy of songs.