Review Summary: Subtle and dreamy in its approach, Capacity underscores the emotional power of storytelling through Adrianne Lenker's tender voice.
Much of how we choose to consider the music that surrounds our lives comes from how well it can impact us on a personal, emotional level. Certain songs get ingrained in our souls through the experiences that arise alongside them, meaningful lyrics, or exquisite musical arrangements. On "Capacity," Big Thief's lead-singer Adrianne Lenker compels listeners through the creation of potent and often-harrowing narratives for each to individually unravel and reflect upon
"Capacity" is filled with stories. Stories of abuse, disassociation, intimacy, and reflection meander their ways into the album's whimsical song structures. And with the band's tranquil instrumentations lying just out of the foreground, Adrianne Lenker is given ample room for expression. As Lenker's voice carefully steps across each of her words, the listener is inclined to cling to each delicately placed syllable that is articulated. Her singing style gives off the image of a carefree demeanor, as if lost within the dreamy melodies that it navigates. However, despite the laid-back atmosphere that spans the album, the narratives within many songs carry chilling undertones. Take for example one of the album's first tracks, "Shark Smile." The song's chorus of "Ooh baby take me," highlighted with bright, glimmering guitar chords, leaves a lighthearted impression on the listener. But simultaneously, Lenker's verses detail the events of a pair of lovers crashing their car after becoming distracted by the affection of one another. The line, "She impaled as I reached my hand for the guardrail" brings new context to the song's chorus, as it becomes apparent that the narrator is asking to be taken into death alongside her deceased lover.
The most explored theme throughout "Capacity" is that of intimate relationships. This concept can be beautiful, like on the song "Objects," which repeats the line, "You turn your own light on inside of me." On the other hand, the act of letting one's guard down for the sake of intimacy can allow for violation, as depicted in the song "Watering," which details a particularly violent sexual encounter. These raw and painful descriptions create a distance in Lenker's retelling of them, as if coming to terms with the disassociative effect that such turbulent incidents have on the self.
The weight of Lenker's storytelling abilities reaches its height on the song "Mythological Beauty," which examines the emotional hardships of her young mother as she tries to raise a family. Lenker details a traumatizing childhood anecdote of her being rushed to the hospital after cutting her head in the song with the lines:
"You held me in the backseat with a dishrag, soaking up blood with your eyes.
I was just five and you were twenty-seven,
Praying, “Don’t let my baby die.”
This particular scene is an example of the individual sacrifices that must be made in parenting as one tries to create the best life for their children. But with accidents like the one that occurred to Adrianne, a parent feels an immense weight with the idea of losing their child. At the young age of twenty-seven, Adrianne's mother must endure these responsibilities, though not entirely prepared. As the song states, "There is a child inside you who's trying to raise a child in me."
As a whole, Capacity unfolds in a way that is reminiscent of one floating through states of dream. Though the subjects of dreams can sometimes venture into painful places, the mind remains sedated in the act of sleep, just as Big Thief's music remains placid while exploring often distressing topics. In songs such as "Great White Shark," Adrianne Lenker's alluring voice navigates through the hazy atmosphere in a subdued, lullaby-like fashion. With the final line of the song she reminds us that in our reflections and meditations, we can reach the core of our human vitality: "And you're alive with a breath you can't see, / Oh, by the grace of this dream." In this blissful dream of an album, Big Thief reminds us that at the center lies memories and experiences to be turned over and examined in the form of delicate song.
Notable Tracks: Shark Smile, Coma, Mythological Beauty
