Photo by Noah Lenker

The last several years have witnessed Big Thief humbly becoming a thing of indie rock headliner status (it’ll happen again tonight, for that mater…) and in part, it’s been in thanks to the live miracles which initially grow in front of audiences into what eventually become the songs we later hear on record. “Vampire Empire”, a newly-released A-side to a forthcoming 7″ single, originally premiered on national television and has become a favorite among their cult of fans at shows since, is the latest to officially enter our realm by way of Big Thief’s ongoing creative metamorphosis which has rendered prolificity as their consistent strength. It’s also a listen which continues to result in those tiny details in their sound becoming all the more fixating by way of embracing unkempt corners, mirroring the unkempt corners of Adrienne Lenker’s relational frustrations. “You give me chills / I’ve had it with the drills / I am nothing, you are nothing, we are nothing with the pills,” her voice frays at the nerves from the friction, and the music itself – a slow, rickety stomp where every passing moment applies pressure onto its nuts and bolts, becomes increasingly more loosened – leading to its eventual collapse and fall. And it’s a magnetic one at that.

Big Thief’s “Vampire Empire” b/w “Born for Loving You” 7″ single will be released October 20th on 4AD.