Adrianne Lenker, the singer/songwriter at the center of Big Thief, has shared a collection of six new tracks entitled i won’t let go of your hand. The quietly lilting and devastatingly poignant songs arrive in tandem with her calls for a ceasefire in Gaza. They are also only available for purchase via her Bandcamp with all proceeds going toward the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund. Lenker will also be heading out on a solo U.S. tour this summer with stops at The United Theater on Broadway in Los Angeles on June 15-16th.
On “the music,” the softly lulling piece that begins the collection, Lenker’s piercing croons reverberate with the relinquishing emotional process that defines her intimate art. “We gave it all / For the music,” she coos earnestly against the robust tug of an acoustic guitar. A lush tangle of tones weaves itself into the backdrop of “feel it all” as she conjures stunning images of open fields and wild horses as the song’s resonance coalesces around an urgent yearning not to shield oneself from life’s vast reelings.
Lenker contemplates the ebb and flow of heartache within “fangs lungs ankles,” her fingers deftly eliciting from her guitar a tumble of warm notes as she intones with raw delicacy: “Pain comes, pain goes.” Recorded on the spot, the songs are composed with an unguarded spontaneity. As she moves into the collection’s title track, “i won’t let go of your hand,” Lenker channels that vulnerability that evokes the counterculture folk of decades past, while its finale, “someone to,” grasps for guidance amidst its coarse but invigorating melodics.
With “relief” she trades her guitar for the mournful anguish of heavy piano keys. “So much pulling you away / you seem so much older,” Lenker intones, her words evoking the cruel realities endured by so many Palestinian children. “The weight of the world on your shoulders / I don’t want you to have to lift / this burden anymore.” Summoning sketches of the scenes of violence suffered she articulates a dire desire to offer desperate and immediate relief.
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Lenker said on Instagram: “Everything I think to say feels like it is less than a micro-fraction of the power that is needed to convey the message. I can’t express how sad and angry I am about this ongoing violence towards Palestinians. The killing must stop. The need for a ceasefire is beyond urgent. Permanent Ceasefire Now!”
For some, her calls for a ceasefire are overshadowed by their belated arrival and the controversy that embroiled Big Thief back in 2022 when they pushed back against criticisms of their decision to perform in Tel Aviv. The band eventually canceled the concerts, and in a recent New York Times feature, Lenker referred to the debacle as the result of a “naïve and not thought out” perception they could play those shows without any backlash. She also admitted that the inner strife it caused within the band was enough to potentially cause a breakup.
Yet her message on Instagram, as well as the brief mention in the NYT article, stops frustratingly short of calling the “violence towards Palestinians” what it is: genocide. Many in the comments voiced valid anger and anxiety over the release even as they acknowledged the importance of her sharing not just words but a tangible effort to fundraise aid. The whole situation underscores the tenuous balancing act between holding people accountable even as they grow, educate themselves, and take steps toward correcting their silent complicity.
Words: Steven Ward
i won’t let go of your hand is available now for purchase via Bandcamp. All proceeds go to the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund. See Lenker on her U.S. tour, which includes two nights at The United Theater on Broadway in Los Angeles on June 15-16th.
Visit Adrianne Lenker on her website and Instagram to stay updated on new releases and tour announcements.
Adrianne Lenker
i won’t let go of your hand
March 11, 2024
1. the music
2. feel it all
3. fangs lungs ankles
4. i won’t let go of your hand
5. relief
6. someone to
