Description
Big Thief had only just finished work on their 3rd album, 34U.F.O.F.34 the celestial twin days before in a cabin studio in the woods of Washington State. Now it was time to birth 34U.F.O.F.34s sister album the earth twin 34Two Hands34. 30 miles west of El Paso, surrounded by 3,000 acres of pecan orchards and only a stones throw from the Mexican border, Big Thief a.k.a. Adrianne Lenker, Buck Meek, Max Oleartchik, and James Krivchenia set up their instruments as close together as possible to capture their most important collection of songs yet. Where 34U.F.O.F.34 layered mysterious sounds and effects for levitation, 34Two Hands34 grounds itself on driedout, cracked desert dirt.In sharp contrast to the wet environment of the 34U.F.O.F.34 session, the southwestern Sonic Ranch studio was chosen for its vast desert location. The 105degree weather boiled away any clinging memories of the green trees and wet air of the previous session. 34Two Hands34 had to be completely different an album about the Earth and the bones beneath it. The songs were recorded live with almost no overdubs. All but two songs feature entirely live vocal takes, leaving Adriannes voice suspended above the mix in dry air, raw and vulnerable as ever.
