Big Thief
Two HandsBig Thief’s second release of 2019, Two Hands, is raw. On the heels of their exceptional third album, U.F.O.F., the band moved into Sonic Ranch, located in hot, barren Tornillo, Texas, just over the Mexican border, and that stark environment informs the album. Recorded live, it’s a showcase for their interplay and sensitivity. But it has teeth, too. The album’s bedrock guitar tones are edgy, but that doesn’t overpower their nuance, hovering at the point of breaking up, which is the charm.
Two Hands’ peak is “Not,” which is pulsating, relentless, and boils over during Adrianne Lenker’s noisy, angular, dissonant fretwork that closes the track. “Wolf” follows, haunting and beautiful, in juxtaposition to “Not,” which, similar to the band’s barebones approach to recording, is illustrative of their depth. It’s a wonderful journey. A glimpse into an intimate, emotional space, but with room for growth and air to breathe.
Must-hear tracks: “Not,” “The Toy”
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In this episode, we’re celebrating the thrill of guitarmony, sick riffs, and driving 8th-note rhythms by talking about Judas Priest. Before getting ready for this episode, neither of your esteemed hosts had ever delved into the Priest discography beyond the rock-radio hits and Beavis and Butthead—though we’d both spent our time with Heavy Metal Parking Lot. Since so many of the GOATs hold the band in the highest of regard, we knew that K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton belonged on this list, so we embarked on a journey to find out why.
After hours of listening and watching, we’re happy to report that we get it. From their debut, 1974’s Rocka Rolla, through 1980’s British Steel, deep into the ’80s-production era with 1986’s Turbo, and through the speed-metal bravado of 1990’s Painkiller, plus live videos and records—the super-loud US Festival performance and the crushing Unleashed in the East record—we found a lot that we love.
