Bright Future (Adrianne Lenker album)

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Bright Future
Studio album by
Adrianne Lenker
ReleasedMarch 22, 2024 (2024-03-22)
Recorded2022
StudioDouble Infinity
Length43:31
Label4AD
Producer
  • Philip Weinrobe
  • Adrianne Lenker
Adrianne Lenker chronology
Instrumentals
(2020) 		Bright Future
(2024)
Singles from Bright Future
  1. "Ruined"
    Released: December 5, 2023
  2. "Sadness as a Gift"
    Released: January 17, 2024
  3. "Fool"
    Released: February 20, 2024
  4. "Free Treasure"
    Released: March 18, 2024

Bright Future is the sixth solo studio album by Adrianne Lenker. It was released on March 22, 2024, through 4AD.

Background and singles[edit]

Recorded in autumn 2022[1] at Double Infinity, a recording studio in the woods,[2] Bright Future was produced by frequent collaborator Philip Weinrobe with contributions from Nick Hakim, Mat Davidson, and Josefin Runsteen.[3] To Lenker, these musicians constitute "some of the best listeners" that shine through their "extreme presence",[4] although she initially had no intentions of creating an album with them.[5] About the recording process, Lenker revealed that "no one stopped a take" or listened back and she "only listened after everybody else left", saying that it was "magical".[6]

The lead single "Ruined" was released on December 5, 2023, and revolves around "a kind of romantic downfall" and "the effects of obsessive rumination".[7] Accompanying the album announcement, Lenker released the second single "Sadness as a Gift" on January 17, 2024. The song features a "tender blend of twangy guitar, violin, and piano" paired with her "affectionate" voice.[8] One of the first songs recorded for the album, "Fool", was released as the third single on February 20. Weinrobe thought the "joy is palpable" on the song and feels like he can "hear [Lenker] laughing and smiling" when listening back.[9] "Free Treasure" was released as the fourth and final single on March 18.[10] The opening track, Real House, references "the first film that made [Lenker] scared", which she later revealed during an interview on Kyle Meredith With... to be a reference to the 1998 film Deep Impact. [11]

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?8.5/10[12]
Metacritic87/100[13]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[14]
DIY[15]
Exclaim!9/10[16]
The Line of Best Fit9/10[17]
Mojo[18]
Paste9.7/10[19]
Pitchfork8.4/10[20]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Bright Future received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 88 out of 100 from 20 critic scores.[13] Editors at the review aggregator AnyDecentMusic? granted Bright Future an 8.5 out of 10, based on 21 critics' scores.[12]

Reviewing the album for AllMusic, Marcy Donelson wrote that Bright Future was "the type of no-filter album with enough variety and poignancy that each song is bound to be somebody's favorite."[14] The Line of Best Fit also gave a positive review, complimenting Lenker's blend of "folk, country, and psychedelia".[17]

In an advance review for Pitchfork, Andy Cush praised the album as "free-flowing and intuitive" and gave it the distinction of Best New Music. He selected "Real House" and "Evol" as stand-out tracks.[20] In another positive review, Matt Brown of DIY noted that the album had a "seriousness that hasn’t necessarily been harnessed before" in Lenker's previous work.[15] John Amen of No Depression wrote, "With Bright Future, Lenker retreats into a frequently contemplative space, setting aside Big Thief’s genre-defining gestalts and Songs’ more volatile stances ... [her] latest set accentuates her depth and versatility, reminding us that she’s an avant-gardist and a traditionalist, attuned to the future as well as the past.[21]

Track listing[edit]

All tracks are written by Adrianne Lenker

Bright Future track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Real House"5:58
2."Sadness as a Gift"4:19
3."Fool"2:54
4."No Machine"3:00
5."Free Treasure"3:35
6."Vampire Empire"3:55
7."Evol"4:44
8."Candleflame"2:34
9."Already Lost"3:27
10."Cell Phone Says"2:38
11."Donut Seam"2:25
12."Ruined"4:32
Total length:43:31

Personnel[edit]

Charts[edit]

Chart performance for Bright Future
Chart (2024) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[22] 53
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[23] 65
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[24] 17
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[25] 88
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[26] 33
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[27] 92
Irish Albums (IRMA)[28] 63
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[29] 28
Portuguese Albums (AFP)[30] 57
Scottish Albums (OCC)[31] 8
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[32] 75
UK Albums (OCC)[33] 35
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[34] 5
US Folk Albums (Billboard)[35] 18
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[36] 15
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[37] 40
US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[38] 28

References[edit]

  1. ^ Vallie, Suzanne. "Adrianne Lenker". Fox Oakland Theatre. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  2. ^ Chelosky, Danielle (January 17, 2024). "Adrianne Lenker – "Sadness As A Gift"". Stereogum. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  3. ^ Martoccio, Angie (January 17, 2024). "Adrianne Lenker Drops Devastatingly Great Sadness As a Gift". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  4. ^ Vito, Jo (January 17, 2024). "Adrianne Lenker Announces New Solo Album Bright Future, Shares "Sadness As a Gift": Stream". Consequence. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  5. ^ Kearns, Sarah (January 17, 2024). "Big Thief's Adrianne Lenker Announces New LP Bright Future, Drops Touching Track "Sadness as a Gift"". Hypebeast. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  6. ^ Renshaw, David (January 17, 2024). "Adrianne Lenker announces new album Bright Future". The Fader. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  7. ^ Sherburne, Philip (December 5, 2023). "Adrianne Lenker: "Ruined" Track Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  8. ^ Natanawan, Grace Ann (January 17, 2024). "Adrianne Lenker Announces New Album, Bright Future". Paste. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  9. ^ Rettig, James (February 20, 2024). "Adrianne Lenker – "Fool"". Stereogum. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  10. ^ Rettig, James (March 18, 2024). "Adrianne Lenker – "Free Treasure"". Stereogum. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  11. ^ "Adrianne Lenker on New Album Bright Future and the Influence of Deep Impact: Podcast". Consequence. March 18, 2024. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
  12. ^ a b "Bright Future by Adrianne Lenker reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  13. ^ a b "Bright Future by Adrianne Lenker Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  14. ^ a b Donelson, Marcy. "Bright Future - Adrianne Lenker | Album". AllMusic. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  15. ^ a b Brown, Matt (March 21, 2024). "Adrianne Lenker - Bright Future". DIY.
  16. ^ Gee, Chris (March 20, 2024). "We Gotta Wear Shades for Adrianne Lenker's Beautiful 'Bright Future'". Exclaim!.
  17. ^ a b Barker, Noah (March 21, 2024). "Adrianne Lenker extends her songwriting prime on the visceral Bright Future". The Line of Best Fit.
  18. ^ Segal, Victoria (March 19, 2024). "Adrianne Lenker Bright Future Review: Big Thief singer finds heartbreak lurking in the undergrowth". Mojo.
  19. ^ Bennett, Eric (March 20, 2024). "On Bright Future, Adrianne Lenker Practices the Art of Everyday Magic". Paste.
  20. ^ a b Cush, Andy (March 21, 2024). "Adrianne Lenker: Bright Future Review". Pitchfork.
  21. ^ "ALBUM REVIEW: With 'Bright Future,' Adrianne Lenker Underscores Her Depth and Versatility". No Depression. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  22. ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 1 April 2024". The ARIA Report. No. 1778. Australian Recording Industry Association. April 1, 2024. p. 6.
  23. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Adrianne Lenker – Bright Future" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  24. ^ "Ultratop.be – Adrianne Lenker – Bright Future" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  25. ^ "Ultratop.be – Adrianne Lenker – Bright Future" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  26. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Adrianne Lenker – Bright Future" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
  27. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Adrianne Lenker – Bright Future" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  28. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Adrianne Lenker". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
  29. ^ "Charts.nz – Adrianne Lenker – Bright Future". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  30. ^ "Portuguesecharts.com – Adrianne Lenker – Bright Future". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  31. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
  32. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Adrianne Lenker – Bright Future". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  33. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  34. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
  35. ^ "Adrianne Lenker Chart History (Top Americana/Folk Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  36. ^ "Adrianne Lenker Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  37. ^ "Adrianne Lenker Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  38. ^ "Adrianne Lenker Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
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