Graham Reid | | <1 min read
Not a Lot, Just Forever (live)
Outside of the band Big Thief, their singer-songwriter Adrianne Lenker runs a parallel solo career which has hit some impressive high-water marks.
Notably last year's Grammy-nominated Bright Future (in the folk category) which was also among our best of 2024 picks. (The earlier Big Thief album Dragon Warm New Mountain in our 2022 list.)
This enormous collection – two hours, 43 songs – was recorded in and around Portland's Revolution Hall so in places the enthusiastic, not to say worshipful, audience can be heard whooping and hooting . . . but mostly silent when she starts on her quietly compelling songs of weaving imagery and unpredictable tangents.
This is very much a real-time event where she invites whistling and laughter, with songs from Big Thief (the ever-popular Spud Infinity) and material from Bright Future pushed towards the final third.
It's an artist free to enjoy the moments whether they be intimate and focused or joyous and free-wheeling. There's even time for birthday shout-outs.
It's immersive and as live as a live album can be, some recorded at soundcheck and at the end as she walks to the tour bus.
Audio verite if you like, just like being there but one for Lenker completists more than the casual fan.
A splendid time was had by all.
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You can hear and buy this album at bandcamp here
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