"Bright Future" - Adrianne Lenker Album Review

It is no secret that Adrianne Lenker has been a prominent figure in the indie/alternative genre of music for the past decade and doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon.

Lenker is best known as the lead singer of the band Big Thief, which has hits like “Vampire Empire” and “Paul,” to name a couple. On Friday, March 22nd, 2024, Lenker released her highly anticipated fifth studio album, “Bright Future.”

The album's first track is extremely slow and closer to her reading the lyrics with the occasional guitar strum in the background rather than a song. However, Lenker picks up the pace throughout the album. The smooth sound of her voice compliments the gentle strums of her guitar nicely.

The simplicity of her words and the conservative use of production make for a relaxing experience for the listener. This is a great album to listen to on a rainy day while watching raindrops roll down the windows or maybe while getting ready to take a nice nap. Both are compliments of her work and style.

Lenker also implements some interesting literary tactics, which are best featured in her song “Evol.” In this track, she carefully chooses words that, when spelled backward, have different meanings. It can be inferred that the inspiration for the song comes from the title “Evol,” spelled backward “Love.” Even though it is not a perfect backward spelling, it makes an interesting experience for the listener who hears “Evil” on the track.

Donut Seam is undoubtedly one of the best songs on the album. This track is a bit macabre, yet Lenker skillfully spins concepts like death and loss into a feeling of graciousness and appreciation. Lenker encourages her listeners to seize the moment and enjoy the day before the time is gone.

This idea resonates with listeners because things like love and moments with loved ones are special because they are inevitably finite. All these things will eventually come to an end, and it was an incredible feat by Lenker to capture this idea in a song.

Lenker posted this message shortly after the release of her new album: “'Bright Future,' which was made with all the love in my heart, and now it’s yours too.” It is beautiful when an artist can capture their ideas and expressions in words and share their experiences and perceptions of the world with others.

When someone relates to a song written by another, challenges and pleasures change from a personal experience to a human experience. This ultimately brings people closer to one another.

Rating: 7/10

Reviewer’s Favorite Songs: ” “Donut Seam,” “Sadness As A Gift,” “Evol”

Reviewer’s Least Favorite Songs: “Real House,” “Fool,” “Cell Phone Says”

Matthew Peters is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email mbp5830@psu.edu.