At this point, the beloved alt-folk outfit Big Thief has proven to be more than a band. They are a collection of individuals, each with their own perspectives that form into an experimental monster hellbent on honoring tradition while shaping their own. Each member of the band brings with them a singularity that forms this undeniable force, and Buck Meek is no exception. Throughout his solo discography, the Big Thief member has proven to be a risk-taking, vulnerable troubadour, riding an imaginary horse between sonic landscapes in search of a terrain that can properly elevate his confessional songwriting. Since his 2018 solo debut, Meek’s discography has been a map of his contributions to Big Thief, detailing exactly how his fearlessness shapes the mind-altering folk his band crafts.
The Mirror, Meek’s fourth studio album, is where the artist begins to separate his sound from that of his band. Despite these 11 songs being produced by Big Thief’s James Krivchenia and featuring vocals from Adrianne Lenker, The Mirror is something Meek can call his own. The presence of his band members is far from the focus, especially given that the album also features appearances from fellow experimental artists like Mary Lattimore and Adam Brisbin. This tracklist is a wholehearted look into Meek as a musician and a person, a crack in the mystique that shadowed previous releases in a cloak of gleeful risk-taking. The Mirror is when Meek’s writing takes on a life of its own, separate from the artist’s past, proudly standing on its own ideologies.
The Mirror has an inherently immersive cohesion that is stunning to behold, but it is a byproduct of these eleven songs. Each moment on this tracklist holds an autonomy, acting as a microcosm of something bigger than this album and Meek himself. These songs play as if the artist is reaching out a hand for you to grab, pleading to be seen as more than another addition to a stellar discography, and more of a proper introduction to an artistry that has already been a part of so many lives. Meek’s songwriting takes center stage like never before, with the artist favoring a display of range rather than attempting to convey an underlying message across these songs. The Mirror plays on the sentiment that songs are tiny universes meant to be held closely and carried through our lives, as the artist touches on a wide range of emotions and images to deliver his most detailed, heartfelt effort to date.
The fact that Meek is a terrific songwriter is nothing new; millions of people have been touched by his words for years now. These songs, though, are even more vibrant, daring, and ultimately recontextualize the Buck Meek we’ve been used to for years. “Demon” personifies the things that haunt Meek and how his past still disrupts his present, while “Can I Mend It?” is the uplifting counterpart, where the artist fights to regain peace. “Pretty Flowers” is the moment Meek steps outside of this battle and looks to the universe for protection of his loved ones and values, tying together the narrative of the two aforementioned highlights. While not sequenced together, these three songs showcase the magic and forward-thinking demeanor of Meek’s words, and that’s only a portion of the whimsical prowess displayed across The Mirror.
From the blunt storytelling on “Worms” to the palpable poetry of songs like “Soul Feeling” and “Heart in the Mirror,” Meek’s fourth studio solo album acts as a defining moment for the artist. While not a complete departure from his previous releases, The Mirror is Meek as we’ve never heard him before, more confident and open-minded than ever. Throughout these eleven spellbinding performances, Buck Meek emerges with the most assured and innovative music of his solo career, skyrocketing his artistry to new heights through raw, genre-defying folk music that touches the heart and shocks the brain.
