Capacity
studio
ArtistBig Thief
CoverCapacity cover.jpg
ReleasedJune 9, 2017
Studio
  • Outlier Inn Recording (Woodridge, New York)
  • Figure 8 Recording (Brooklyn)
  • Lethe Lounge (New York City)
  • Black Lodge Recording (Brooklyn)[a]
Genre
LabelSaddle Creek
ProducerAndrew Sarlo
Prev year2016
Next year2019

Capacity is the second studio album by the American band Big Thief, released through Saddle Creek Records on June 9, 2017.[5]

Background and recording

Capacity was recorded in a farmhouse that the band was house-sitting. With the owner out of town, the band was able to record uninterrupted for a month. The album was recorded on analog recording equipment.[6]

Music and lyrics

According to Lizzie Manno of Paste Magazine: "Big Thief thrive on the magic they unearth seemingly from a past life. Lenker delivers poetic lines about nature that never appear trite with a voice that ranges from gentle to fierce, always with a mother-like comfort. [...] Capacity draws on earth's passing moments that are taken for granted, but it's grounded in humanity's brightest and darkest tendencies. Their tender, evocative indie-folk transcends any musical categorization."[7]

Artwork

The album's cover artwork features a photograph of vocalist Adrianne Lenker's uncle holding her as a newborn.[8]

Critical reception

Capacity received critical acclaim upon its release. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from music critics, the album has received an average score of 81, indicating "universal acclaim", based on 15 reviews.[9]

Paste Magazine included the album in their list of the best indie rock albums of the 2010s. Staff writer Lizzie Manno said "[the album is] dirty, heartbreaking, trustworthy, gorgeous and armed with a childlike wonder and well-worn sagacity. While their 2016 debut Masterpiece offered raw charm, 2017's Capacity has a keener eye and an intoxicating richness."[7]

Accolades

PublicationAccoladeRankRef
The AlternativeThe Alternative's Top 50 Albums of 201710[10]
BrooklynVeganBrooklynVegan's Top 50 Albums of 201713[11]
Flood MagazineThe Best Albums of 20171[12]
NPRThe 50 Best Albums of 20173[13]
PitchforkThe 50 Best Albums of 201723[14]
Rough TradeRough Trade Albums of the Year 20174[15]
The SkinnyThe Skinny's Top 50 Albums of 201712[16]
Spin50 Best Albums of 20172[17]
Vinyl Me, PleaseThe Best Albums of 20178[18]

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[19]

Big Thief

  • Adrianne Lenker – vocals (all tracks), acoustic guitar (1, 2, 4–7, 9), electric guitar (2–8, 11), background vocals (2, 4, 6, 8, 11), choir (3), French press (3), mouth trumpet (7), claps (8), ARP synthesizer (9)
  • Buck Meek – electric guitar (2–4, 6–9, 11), choir (3), background vocals (5, 6, 8, 9), claps (8)
  • Max Oleartchik – upright bass (1, 3), bass (2, 4–9, 11), choir (3)
  • James Krivchenia – drums (2–9, 11), percussion (2–9), choir (3), Casio SK-1 (5), bells (6), howls (6), acoustic guitar (6), claps (8, 9), lap harp (8), background vocals (9), organ (10)

Additional musicians

  • Andrew Sarlo – piano (1), choir (3), mouth trumpet (7)
  • Unknown – stairs (1)
  • Zoë Lenker – background vocals (4, 7, 8)
  • Mat Davidson – background vocals (5, 6, 9), acoustic guitar (8), pump organ (8, 10), piano (10)
  • Erin Birgy – howls (6)
  • Michael Sachs – bass clarinet (10)

Technical personnel

  • Andrew Sarlo – production (all tracks), engineering (all tracks), mixing (all tracks)
  • Greg Calbi – mastering
  • Josh Druckman – engineering [basics] (8)

Artwork

  • Josh Goleman – band photo

Notes

  1. ^ Additional overdubs recorded at Black Lodge Recording in Brooklyn, New York

References

  1. ^ Breihan, Tom (June 6, 2017). "Album Of The Week: Big Thief Capacity". Stereogum. Retrieved August 6, 2022.
  2. ^ Moreland, Quinn (June 9, 2017). "Big Thief: Capacity". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  3. ^ Watts, Peter (July 4, 2017). "Big Thief – Capacity". Uncut. Archived July 17, 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  4. ^ Kok, Dan (July 26, 2017). "Big Thief: Capacity". PopMatters. Retrieved August 6, 2022.
  5. ^ "Capacity". Saddle Creek Records. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  6. ^ Writer, Zach Schonfeld Senior (July 19, 2017). "The Strange Majesty of Big Thief". Newsweek. Retrieved October 5, 2024.
  7. ^ "The 50 Best Indie Rock Albums of the 2010s". Paste Magazine. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  8. ^ Zoladz, Lindsay (April 30, 2019). "The Big Themes and Big Dreams of Big Thief". The Ringer (website). Retrieved November 19, 2022.
  9. ^ "Reviews and Tracks for Capacity by Big Thief". Metacritic. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  10. ^ "The Alternative's Top 50 Albums of 2017 - The Alternative". The Alternative. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
  11. ^ "BrooklynVegan's Top 50 Albums of 2017". BrooklynVegan. December 22, 2017. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
  12. ^ "The Best Albums of 2017". FLOOD. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
  13. ^ "The 50 Best Albums Of 2017 (10-1)". NPR.org. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
  14. ^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2017 | Pitchfork". pitchfork.com. December 12, 2017. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
  15. ^ "Capacity". Rough Trade. Archived from the original on December 27, 2017. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
  16. ^ "The Skinny's Top 50 Albums of 2017". Retrieved December 27, 2017.
  17. ^ "50 Best Albums of 2017". Spin. December 18, 2017. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
  18. ^ "The Best Albums Of 2017". Vinyl Me Please. December 20, 2017. Archived from the original on December 22, 2017. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
  19. ^ Capacity (liner notes). Saddle Creek. 2017. LBJ-255.