Twenty-two minutes of sun-dappled acoustic sketches. Two voices and a guitar recorded with such proximity you can hear the wood of the instrument breathe.
It sounds like a quiet conversation between two people who know each other's secrets.
A gentle, sun-drenched intimacy that feels both private and welcoming.
Released in 2014, b-sides is a collaborative EP by Adrianne Lenker and Buck Meek, serving as a companion piece to their full-length 'a-sides' released the same year. Recorded during their early years as a touring duo in Brooklyn, the EP showcases the foundational chemistry that would eventually lead to the formation of Big Thief. Sonically, the record is a masterclass in 'less is more' folk, relying almost entirely on dual vocal harmonies and intricate, interlocking acoustic guitar work. Unlike Lenker's later solo masterpieces like 'Songs' or 'Abysskiss', which lean into a more haunting, solitary vulnerability, these tracks possess a communal warmth and a sense of shared optimism. The production is remarkably dry and close-mic'd, capturing the percussive quality of the guitar strings and the subtle inflections of the vocals. It remains a fan-favorite for its raw, unpolished charm and its depiction of the duo's early songwriting evolution.
Put this on for
Steam rising from the first cup of coffee while the house is still silentDust motes dancing in a single beam of afternoon sunBare feet on cold floorboards before the heater kicks inWindow seat on a slow train watching the suburbs turn to fieldsLast page of a long book and you're not ready to leave the world yetQuiet kitchen cleanup after everyone else has gone to bedSketchbook open on your lap and no pressure to draw anything perfect
Moments worth waiting for
The effortless vocal blend on Angels where the two voices become a single resonant texture.
The rhythmic, cyclical guitar figure on New York City that mimics the steady pace of a long walk.
The brief, fragile brevity of Row which feels like a fleeting thought captured on tape.
Sounds like
2014s production with a 2010s soul
Sits beside
The Crane Wife - The Decemberists, I and Love and You - The Avett Brothers, Seven Swans - Sufjan Stevens, The Weatherman - Gregory Alan Isakov
Lyrical territory
love_romantic, nostalgia, travel_journey
03Deviation
b-sides · vs · Adrianne Lenker
Artist
This Album
Love_romantic
Lyrics · ↓ −7% less than usual
On this album, love_romantic sits about 7% less prominent than across the rest of the artist's catalogue.
