Bright Future (studio album) by Adrianne Lenker

Overall, a good follow up to one of the top albums of the 2020s. Songs in the same vein as the last album felt not as flushed out or full. Songs that departed from the last album felt like a breath of fresh air and more fun.

I was listening to this again recently and thinking how it started really strong without realising I was already on track 7 of 12. The rest flies by in a similar way, it's a strong record all the way through. Adrienne Lenker does a great job of separating her solo work with her work as part of Big Thief without changing the sound very significantly, things are just a bit more stripped back and emotionally direct. There's a kind of weariness to her voice which just works so well for these tracks. I think it's the gentleness of the early tracks which made them feel like they went by so quickly, there's a warmth and vulnerability which ties them together as one block. It makes the (comparatively) louder intro to Vampire Empire stand out so much, this is still my favourite track here and I think it benefits from the rawness which marks a change of pace. After Evol the tracks start to mix together in a less effective way, nothing here is bad, but they don't reinforce each other in the way that the first six do. Final track Ruined sees a return to the record's highest points, as maybe the most minimal track here it's impossible not to hang on Adrienne's every word, the multi tracked vocals on the chorus are gorgeous and the piano does enough to keep everything together.

Ruined has to be the song of the year. Lovely album.

A really gorgeous little album. The vocal and lyrics are strained and angst-ridden but it's just a really good record.

Yeah, really like the rawness of everything on Lenker’s newest project - songwriting, performances and production. Makes for a really stripped back and personal collection of songs.

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Really enjoyable folk album. Adrianne’s lyrics yet again hit me at my core. I think that the songs aren’t as great as her last album or Big Thief’s last album, but it’s still solid. Looking forward to diving into this further because Adrianne’s writing has layers. I love the rawness of the writing on this album, as well as the production. This album felt very personal. It felt like hearing her play in her bedroom.

I have been listening to the track Ruined since it dropped and it hasn't left my head since. Looked forward to the album dropping and it did not disappoint. Song for song, Adrianne Lenker makes it sound so easy and hard at the same time. I love her voice and the words she puts together. Her new version of Vampire Empire completely knocked me over and prefer this version. No drums on album and you don't even notice... until you do, and it doesn't matter... early contender for AOTY.

From HoldenM 03/23/2024 19:22

Gorgeous. A richer step forward from songs. Maybe it wears on me a little by the second half, but it's still as gutting and edifying as anything Lenker's made thus far.

Rare to have an artist whose gifts for both melody and lyrics are so extraordinary. Terrific album. AOTY candidate for me.