Bright Future

Recorded
Released

There’s that old tired trope about “[City] Being Another Character” in a film. The idea that the setting of the thing is so prominent, so baked into the bones into what you’re experiencing that it becomes as important as the action on screen. The same could be said for tape hiss. The pillow of hiss becomes another level of constant comfort on Big Thief singer Adrianne Lenker’s latest solo album Bright Future. It’s an album of more pillowy sounds, an exploration of softness and sadness that, like the majority of her output, feels raw and straight to the point without ever crossing over into cloying over-sentimentality. Highlights include the tone poem “Real House,” all dark piano and light, light, ever so light touches of violin. The John Prine-y “Fool” and “No Machine” — the latter festooned with babbling background vocalization — are just a small taste of a collection of heartbreaking songs that soar past the small pockets they emerge from.

Amelia Riggs

Suggestions
YTI⅃AƎЯ cover

YTI⅃AƎЯ

Bill Callahan
Big Sigh cover

Big Sigh

Marika Hackman
When We Were Looking cover

When We Were Looking

Louisa Stancioff
Spíra cover

Spíra

Ólöf Arnalds
Likewise cover

Likewise

Frances Quinlan
Protector cover

Protector

Aoife Nessa Frances
2020 cover

2020

Richard Dawson
De Todas Las Flores cover

De Todas Las Flores

Natalia Lafourcade