Finding herself in a much more grounded space, Adrianne Lenker seeps out yearning moments that eventually hit a cutting end. ‘Bright Future’, with all of its country-folk tinges and warmer instrumentations, are stepping stones for Adrianne Lenker’s focused melodies to charge her writing into aching quality.
Even after the aftermath of the lockdown, the aspects of time and distance still linger on Adrianne Lenker's mind. After all, ‘Songs’ did open up about what distance and time can create in a relationship, whereas in Adrienne Lenker’s case, it tilts within conflicts that can slowly disrupt the relationship, even with any efforts of clinging onto that connection may become a double-edged sword, where despite the wishful thinking that things might work, there’s that possibility of the romance to disperse in the air. ‘Bright Future’ continues forth on those aspects, yet delves deeper with a different brand of lens all around.
Frolicking toward the country tinges and low vocal registers that were present back in Big Thief’s last project, Adrianne Lenker carries those characteristics to present something grounded. This would eventually mean that many of the usual fingerpicked compositions and hushed whispers are replaced, opting to provide less hypnotic qualities in favor of focused melodic structures this time around, allowing the emotions and poetry to become strengthened as a result. The ruffled guitar tones on ‘Fool’ are a good fit towards Adrianne Lenker’s shifting adlibs and lilting vocals, the baskets of strings, acoustics, and pianos on ‘Sadness As A Gift’ carry somber, yet hopeful textures to the melodies, the spare piano lines on ‘Real House’ and especially ‘Evol’ flesh out their yearning auras, the banjo on ‘Already Lost’ carries the melodies with a relaxing tune, the quaint instrumental passages instills calmness on ‘Candleflame’ and ‘Cell Phone Says’, and the rougher albeit passionate version of ‘Vampire Empire’ still works for how the melodies just charge with a jovial swing. Meanwhile, songs like ‘No Machine’, ‘Free Treasure’, and especially ‘Donut Seam’ might still work within the arc of the project, they just don’t shine as much as the other cuts due to their overall melodies and presentation just don’t come off as interesting overall.
But of course, there is intent in the change of characteristics as the writing of the project comes center stage, emphasizing that romantic yearning blazing forth even more. On the surface, Adrianne Lenker does seem to observe and reflect upon that aspect, where those romantic moments have a lot of brimming specks of warmth, with intimate details providing a love that’s meek and charged. Yet, some fractures are wedged in between those intimate spaces, with notes of give and take, the presence of distance and sadness, and an instinct that tells of this romance disappearing away from Adrianne. An instinct that eventually comes true on ‘Ruined’, where Adrianne’s crushed vocal refrains amidst hazy soundscapes from the rougher keys tell that all of those intimate refrains break apart, ending the arc of this project to be in a place of heartbreak.
While ‘Songs’ might have planted those seeds of yearning that are stripped apart due to isolation, ‘Bright Future’ continues building those pieces into something much sharper and polished, letting those yearning refrains flow in much more emotive spaces that cut even deeper at the end. With the focused melodic aims alongside Adrianne Lenker’s lower deliveries and country-folk compositions, they work together for the project to end up shining as a result. Even in those crushing emotional endings, there are always those glimmers of hope from those past passions that allow us to start anew, creating a bright future on that horizon.
Favorite Tracks: ‘Real House’, ‘Sadness As A Gift’, ‘Fool’, ‘Vampire Empire’, ‘Evol’, ‘Candleflame’, ‘Already Lost’, ‘Cell Phone Says’, ‘Ruined’
Least Favorite Track: ‘Donut Seams’