Flawlessly flawed is Brooklyn-based Big Thief. Their debut album “Masterpiece,” out via Saddle Creek Records, is a batch of backwoods folk-rock tunes that hop from noisy and deranged, to delicate and eerie.
Ahead of their headlining show at Soda Bar on Friday, March 10 (tickets are available here), I spoke with the band's guitarist, Buck Meek, about touring 10 months out of the year, not having a home and the creation of their first full-length.
“We had a great time making it," Meek told me. "It’s so sentimental to us already -- for me at least. When I listen to the record, it feels like this very distinct feeling we had making it in this little cabin in New York. It was just a really sweet couple of weeks, swimming all the time and BBQing and kayaking around and making the record.”
Beginning in April, the band will have a two-month break to rehearse before hitting the road again for another U.S. tour -- along with festivals in the UK, another North American tour in September, “and again, and again, and again,” said Meek.
The constant touring has singer Adrianne Lenker and Meek virtually homeless.
“Yeah, technically we’re based in Brooklyn. Although, we’re never there, so Adrienne and I, we just put our stuff in storage because we’re on the road so much. But yeah, Brooklyn’s kind of our home,” Meek said in his calm and positive tone. “We hope to be doing this for the rest of our lives, for sure.”
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Back in July of last year, Big Thief opened for Kevin Morby at the Casbah. I asked about the band’s San Diego experience.
“Last time we came to San Diego, we swam -- I don’t remember the name of the little beach, but we parked in a neighborhood somewhere down by the water and swam in this epic little cove. So, I hope to go swimming again for sure. I try to swim as much as possible on the road.”
Musician, people-pleaser, lover, fighter and writer Matthew Craig Burke has been spewing musical words of wisdom since never. He lives off of peanut butter sandwiches, beer and Beck Hansen. Follow his updates on Facebook or contact him directly.
