Big Thief Preview Upcoming Album With Release Of “UFOF”

Indie rock group Big Thief today shared ethereal new single “UFOF,” previewing their third upcoming record, U.F.O.F. (U.F.O. Friend). The album is set for release on May 3 via 4AD.

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Lyrically, U.F.O.F. tells a variety of stories – many somewhat grim. “Making friends with the unknown … All my songs are about this,” Big Thief guitarist and vocalist Adrianne Lenker said in a statement announcing the album. “If the nature of life is change and impermanence, I’d rather be uncomfortably awake in that truth than lost in denial.”

Having already presented the songs for U.F.O.F. while touring, the band found extra time during the recording process to experiment with textures, melodies and tempos. It shows – “UFOF” is thoughtfully haunting.

Big Thief recorded the album at Bear Creek Studios in western Washington with engineer Dom Monks and producer Andrew Sarlo.

Listen to “UFOF” and check out upcoming tour dates below.

BIG THIEF TOUR DATES (new dates in bold)
Sat. Apr. 20 – San Diego, CA @ Irenic
Thu. May 2 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre
Fri. May 3 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Bootleg Theater
Sun. May 5 – Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere
Sat. May 18 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club (SOLD OUT)
Sun. May 19 – Glasgow, UK @ SWG3
Tues. May 21 – Dublin, IR @ Vicar Street
Wed. May 22 – Manchester, UK @ The Ritz
Thu. May 23 – London, UK @ Roundhouse 
Fri. May 24 – Bristol, UK @ SWX 
Sun. May 26 – Cambridge, UK @ Cambridge Junction
Mon. May 27 – Paris, FR @ Trabendo
Tue. May 28 – Brussels, BE @ Orangerie
Thu. May 30 – Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Sound
Fri. May 31 – Nîmes, FR @ This Is Not a Love Song Festival
Sun. June 2 – Amsterdam, NL @ Best Kept Secret
Mon. June 3-6 – Marina Di Ravenna, IT @ Beaches Brew Festival
Mon. June 3 – Berlin, DE @ Lido
Tue. June 4 – Zurich, CH @ Bogen F
Sat. June 8 – Porto, PT @ NOS Privaera Sound
Tue. August 6-10 – Oslo, NO @ Oya Festival
Thu. August 8 – Copenhagen, DK @ Lille Vega
Thu. August 15-18 – Wales, UK @ Green Man Festival
Fri. August 16 – Hasselt, BE @ Pukkelpop Festival
Thu. Oct. 10 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall
Fri. Oct. 11 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall
Sat. Oct. 12 – South Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
Sun. Oct. 13 – Boston, MA @ Wilbur Theatre
Tue. Oct. 15 – Montreal, QC @ La Tulipe
Wed. Oct. 16 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre
Fri. Oct. 18 – Chicago, IL @ Metro
Mon. Oct. 21 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
Thu. Oct. 24 – Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
Fri. Oct. 25 – Vancouver, BC @ Vogue Theatre
Sat. Oct. 26 – Seattle, WA @ Moore Theatre
Mon. Oct. 28 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
Fri. Nov. 1 – Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom
Sat. Nov. 2 – Albuquerque, NM @ Sister
Mon. Nov. 4 – Austin, TX @ Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheatre
Tue. Nov. 5 – Dallas, TX @ Trees
Thu. Nov. 7 – Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse
Fri. Nov. 8 – Saxapahaw, NC @ Haw River Ballroom
Sat. Nov. 9 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
Sun. Nov. 10 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club