SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: ADRIANNE LENKER – BRIGHT FUTURE

ADRIANNE LENKER
BRIGHT FUTURE
4AD

Big Thief lead singer Adrianne Lenker’s newest solo album, Bright Future, is her first solo release since Songs and Instrumentals, which were both released on October 23, 2020. Since then, Lenker has released a few things with Big Thief, most notably the critically acclaimed 2022 record Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You. 

Lenker’s diaristic and vulnerable songwriting is on full display in Bright Future. Each track features top-notch storytelling that is as descriptive as they come and rich in emotion. “Evol” and “Ruined” highlight the fragility and frustration of love. In “Evol”, Lenker beautifully sings about the complexities, heartache, misunderstanding and pain of love. In “Ruined”, Lenker hauntingly sings about heartbreak and the overwhelming emotions that often come with love and loss. Both tracks are devastating and full of despair, especially the latter. “Real House” is a vivid and immersive portrait of Lenker’s past and present. Every lyric comes to life. Intimate memories like seeing her mother cry for the first time are delicately shared.

Lenker also does her own version of Big Thief’s “Vampire Empire.” Lenker’s version is much calmer, as her voice is very gentle, and the instrumentation is much more reserved. In Big Thief’s version, Lenker’s voice ranges from soft vocals to infuriated yells. Meanwhile, the instrumentation has a bit of a messy feel to it, perfectly capturing the overall mood of the track. For example, the guitars are heavily distorted, almost like that of an angry outburst. Despite the considerable differences in sound, both versions are immaculate tearjerkers and lines like: “You say you want to be alone and you want children / You wanna be with me, you wanna be with him” or “I wanted to be your woman, I wanted to be your man / I wanted to be the one that you could understand” crush the soul the same amount.

Instrumentally, the album is quiet, folksy, and stripped-back. This allows many tracks like “Real House” to be much more chilling and heart-shattering than if they were not as stripped-back. The playfulness and uniqueness of the guitar and strings in “Fool,” the warm country environment in “Sadness As A Gift,” and the upbeat banjo of “Already Lost” are some main highlights of the instrumentation.

Bright Future is a breathtaking display of evocative and poetic songwriting full of emotional depth and nuance.

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