Capacity
by Big Thief
User Score
8.1

Universal acclaim- based on 53 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 46 out of 53
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 53
  3. Negative: 4 out of 53
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this album

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. JadenCarter
    Jun 15, 2017
    10
    This album worth every single second to hear it, Shark Smile and Mthological Beaty are so essential to start enjoy that, whole album won't take your earphones off
  2. Ricko
    Nov 4, 2019
    8
    Opener "Pretty Things" is essentially Adrianne Lenker (fast becoming the queen of my world) solo delivering a restrained yet achingly beautiful folk ballad. "Shark Smile", something you'd expect from peak Ryan Adams, introduces the rest of the band as they steadily thump through this mid tempo rocker but with screeching guitars coming in and out every now and again. Title track is classicOpener "Pretty Things" is essentially Adrianne Lenker (fast becoming the queen of my world) solo delivering a restrained yet achingly beautiful folk ballad. "Shark Smile", something you'd expect from peak Ryan Adams, introduces the rest of the band as they steadily thump through this mid tempo rocker but with screeching guitars coming in and out every now and again. Title track is classic indie folk rock. Everything this band do seems straightforward and simple yet the end product is so sublime you are left wondering what kind of folk magic they are practicing. The next few songs are steady, adding to the general atmosphere and feel of the record. "Great White Shark" gets the ears peaked before the album highlight and very aptly named song "Mythological Beauty" kicks in. This is very much where the album peaks but the album still maintains a startlingly high level of songwriting quality. Thumbs up.… Expand
  3. NeutralMilkH
    Jul 7, 2017
    9
    This will be unlike most of my reviews, for I'm not going to review this album track-by-track (basically, I'm just going to write a really broad summary instead this time)... and as of this point, I haven't listened to it yet... so, if you want to hear my opinion (which is only worth what you think it's worth) keep scrolling down.

    My opinion: I'll be honest, I'm not a sucker for people    This will be unlike most of my reviews, for I'm not going to review this album track-by-track (basically, I'm just going to write a really broad summary instead this time)... and as of this point, I haven't listened to it yet... so, if you want to hear my opinion (which is only worth what you think it's worth) keep scrolling down.

    My opinion: I'll be honest, I'm not a sucker for people who have voices who sound exceptional, let alone the fact that I don't like many female vocalists (except for Courtney Barnett and... actually I feel really bad that that's the only other one I like) but I must say that the voice Adrianne Lenker never becomes overbearing and fits the music very well... as for the actual music. At first it starts off very sparse and calm in the first track, and then goes absolutely **** nuts in the second song, and from that point forward, it's a great **** album. The lyrics are very interesting from both a metaphorical and literal standpoint, and after looking up the meaning of the lyrics to Shark Smile, I must say that I feel like a dumbass for not getting it. Despite the fact that the instrumentation is scratchy at points, it never becomes overbearing (unlike HAIM's new album... I really hope I forget about that one.) This band is also unafraid to turn a simple song into something sinister when you least expect it, and may soon become leaders in indie rock experimentation. It's mind-blowing to me how quiet the guitars manage to sound despite the fact that they basically command the album. When I started listening to the percussion, I was surprised at how well it was rolling along with the rhythms of the guitars and the singer. It almost made it sound as powerful as a band like U2 (especially in the track Capacity)... at least if they were also an indie rock band. The only reason as to why I didn't give this album a perfect score, was because I thought that the vocalist was holding back a little bit, and although the restraining and vulnerability of the voice can also be appealing, it never really broke out too much... that opinion may change when I choose to watch live performances of songs from this album but for now, that is my opinion on this album.    … Expand
  4. All_ButTrU4
    Nov 16, 2021
    7
    Smart and enriched. A collection of traumatic storys,most true given sincere space to unwind. No filler all killer. "Mythological Beauty" is a terrifying biography of Adrienne mother with a very forgiving perspective. The unsettling "watering" emphasise the vulnerability of being stalked. "Mary " is a heart wrenching ode to a family member. This is the 1st of many wins for big thief

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
81

Universal acclaim - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 15
  3. Negative: 0 out of 15
  1. PopMatters
    Jul 26, 2017
    80
    There are a lot of songs and stories in Adrianne Lenker’s brain and Capicity can’t hold them all, but the 11 that it does are an excellent evolution in the band’s musical and storytelling progression.
    Read full review
  2. Prefix Magazine
    Jul 6, 2017
    80
    It shows a quick growth in confidence from the last record to this one, mostly leaving behind the moments that feel too quiet, too intimate to always connect to from the last record. Capacity is another strong record, and a brave step forward for Big Thief.
    Read full review
  3. Rolling Stone
    Jun 21, 2017
    80
    Funny, propulsive, queer, dissonant, and utterly intoxicating, it gilds a record to put on next time some stooge tells you indie rock is dead.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »