It has been four years since Big Thief’s Adrianne Lenker released a solo album and in those four years, it appears a lot has changed for the accomplished singer/songwriter. Not that you need to do much digging to unearth that fact, just take a look back at the deeply confessional solo material she’s created over the past few years. Each album is lined with subtle sonics that act as a canvas for her incredibly moving poetry, never wasting a single breath unless it is to portray a universe of emotions. On her latest LP, Bright Future, her confessions feel more palpable, and her vocals reach heights they never have before. The 12-song album doubles as her most expansive and experimental while also being her most honed and delicate outing, creating an irresistible sonic juxtaposition that showcases Lenker’s growth as an artist.
The new sonic direction was put together by a dream team of collaborators. Lenker brought producer and frequent collaborator Philip Weinrobe together with a carefully selected band consisting of Nick Hakim, Mat Davidson, and Josefin Runsteen. Instrumentally, they craft colorful arrangements that accent Lenker’s words perfectly while vocally, they harmonize with the heavens for lush moments of bliss. Bright Future is an amalgamation of freely experimenting while whittling down those experiments to their rawest form. Lenker sounds as free as ever while still honing her signature songcraft for a sentimental LP. Recorded deep into the woods and entirely on analog equipment, Bright Future evokes the environment it was recorded in for warm tones that are contradicted by heartbreaking lyrics.
Like the look in her eyes on the artwork, Lenker’s songwriting is rooted in introspection. Combining auto-biographical anecdotes with vague yet powerful poetry gives her a voice that is all her own. Nothing is too personal for Lenker, to wear your heart on your sleeve is one thing but she cuts the sleeve off and allows her emotions to pour out over these songs. This is Lenker’s signature songwriting repackaged into something entirely new, a refreshing landscape for the songwriter to navigate, and navigate she does. With immense ease and nimble vocals, Lenker delivers these words with care and grace. Her vocals go from whispered confessions (“Real House”) to sterling melodies with soaring dynamics (“Vampire Empire”), a new territory that she can make all her own.
Everything about this project feels gentle and purposeful. Lenker’s songwriting is so potent there are no bells and whistles needed, she records straight to tape as if her vocals needed the extra warmth of a nostalgic hiss. The textures of this LP feel like looking out into the vast openness of an ocean, seeing where the water meets the horizon as a setting sun paints the cloud with a careless vibrancy. Lenker captures this slew of emotions with a simplistic approach, making each song feel like an entire universe of pure intentions and heartbreaking tones. These tones match her words perfectly as the artist pens some of the most honest music of her career and uses this refreshing sonic landscape to explore new territories of her artistry.
Her poetry is accented by the subtle cinematography of the arrangements. Thanks to the chemistry shared with her bandmates, the album can find consistency without forcing itself into a box. The arrangements can emphasize the songwriting while containing their microcosm of emotion. The moody piano on a song like “Evol” makes the delivery of lyrics like “You have my heart and I want it back” cut through the air while the whimsical guitar melodies of “Free Treasure” evoke the feeling of floating.
With a small band of trusted musicians and a load of analog recording equipment, Adrianne Lenker created some of the most potent and dynamic music of her career. Bright Future is an album you get lost in, wandering around between infectious guitar plucking and sentimental piano melodies with Lenker’s vulnerability acting as a tour guide. Her vocal performances are just as captivating as the words they deliver, creating a sonic journey through the inner workings of a musician we all thought we knew. This album is still very much a Lenker solo project with minimal arrangements and honest songwriting but thanks to some fearlessness and a bit of patience, she can make Bright Future stand out from the rest of her solo work.
