Blake Solomon
06/22/08, 09:02 AM
Brightwood – Wake
Record Label: Unsigned
Release Date: July 19th, 2008
Random circumstances are the origin of relationships. Right place-right time situations control our lives. Brightwood were the lucky bastards at the heart of a certain period in life when things couldn’t look worse, or, because of how emo my music library was, couldn’t be better. Their darkly shaded piano melodies and Andrew Brittell’s meaty-yet-soft voice transform the spaces they happen to be played inside. Quite magical, really, and The Love Antidote seemed near impossible to follow. For a long time I feared that record would be the band’s only testimony. Brightwood are a merciful bunch, however, and now our children will grow up in a world with at least two of the band’s records. Wake’s 13 songs succeed without retreading. They inspire without reverting back to simple lyrics or simpler melodies. The substances within Wake could leave an impact long after you drift towards oblivion. Each moment takes you back and moves you forward. That tingly sensation is normal.
Forgive the gushing, but after a few listens to “Cloak & Dagger”’s wall-banging bass or the Acceptance-like guitar riff of “Vis Major,” you’ll be doing the same. So don’t judge me. Possibly even more astounding than the previously mentioned strength of Brittell’s voice is the fact that the whole record was meticulously produced, mixed and recorded by the band in its own modest living spaces. DIY seems to bring fist-pumps from the punk crowd, but when an alt-pop band uses the word, every yuppie in a sweater vest gets their boxer briefs in a bunch. (I thankfully happen to be going commando right now – Blake.) And yes, there’s less room for sonic mistakes here, but the band has formed an atmosphere without limit or too much sheen. The acoustic and vocal melodies of “Marked & Tied” sound as grand as they would in a billion dollar recording studio. Its watery electronics allow you to peer into a world different than our own.
The understated one-two punch of “Conversations with Stars” and “Dreamer to a Dream” channels so much emotion with airy vocals, stuttering electronics and nearly-too-pervasive metaphors. “Dreamer” may be the album’s highlight, but I won’t know for at least 10 or so years; you know, when the album finally settles. Brittell muses on the oldest of musical dilemmas, but in a way that sheds just a few shades of new light: “I’m in love again / In the worst kind of way / Oh my heart is racing / My voice is shaking / The thought of you.” You’ve heard it before, but never in such beautiful ways.
“The Night” whooshes in with legato guitar strums and a menacing tone. Once evolving into pitchy guitar solos and extra-weary singing from Brittell, Wake’s ambience darkens considerably. Even when compared to equally depressing songs, like drum-heavy and angsty “Wake” or the downtrodden guitar picking of “Marked & Tied,” which sports lines like, “We were not meant to be alone,” “The Night” just feels sadder. Wake’s tendency to whiplash the listener with opposing emotions only makes for a more arresting listening experience. This feature proves the band has evolved through problems of every type, and Wake is a gorgeous testament to Brightwood’s strength and talent.
Recommended If You Like: Acceptance, Brave Citizens meets Kyte, fu**ing hype!!!!!!, Copeland, fu**ing HYPE!!!!!
www.myspace.com/brightwood
Record Label: Unsigned
Release Date: July 19th, 2008
Random circumstances are the origin of relationships. Right place-right time situations control our lives. Brightwood were the lucky bastards at the heart of a certain period in life when things couldn’t look worse, or, because of how emo my music library was, couldn’t be better. Their darkly shaded piano melodies and Andrew Brittell’s meaty-yet-soft voice transform the spaces they happen to be played inside. Quite magical, really, and The Love Antidote seemed near impossible to follow. For a long time I feared that record would be the band’s only testimony. Brightwood are a merciful bunch, however, and now our children will grow up in a world with at least two of the band’s records. Wake’s 13 songs succeed without retreading. They inspire without reverting back to simple lyrics or simpler melodies. The substances within Wake could leave an impact long after you drift towards oblivion. Each moment takes you back and moves you forward. That tingly sensation is normal.
Forgive the gushing, but after a few listens to “Cloak & Dagger”’s wall-banging bass or the Acceptance-like guitar riff of “Vis Major,” you’ll be doing the same. So don’t judge me. Possibly even more astounding than the previously mentioned strength of Brittell’s voice is the fact that the whole record was meticulously produced, mixed and recorded by the band in its own modest living spaces. DIY seems to bring fist-pumps from the punk crowd, but when an alt-pop band uses the word, every yuppie in a sweater vest gets their boxer briefs in a bunch. (I thankfully happen to be going commando right now – Blake.) And yes, there’s less room for sonic mistakes here, but the band has formed an atmosphere without limit or too much sheen. The acoustic and vocal melodies of “Marked & Tied” sound as grand as they would in a billion dollar recording studio. Its watery electronics allow you to peer into a world different than our own.
The understated one-two punch of “Conversations with Stars” and “Dreamer to a Dream” channels so much emotion with airy vocals, stuttering electronics and nearly-too-pervasive metaphors. “Dreamer” may be the album’s highlight, but I won’t know for at least 10 or so years; you know, when the album finally settles. Brittell muses on the oldest of musical dilemmas, but in a way that sheds just a few shades of new light: “I’m in love again / In the worst kind of way / Oh my heart is racing / My voice is shaking / The thought of you.” You’ve heard it before, but never in such beautiful ways.
“The Night” whooshes in with legato guitar strums and a menacing tone. Once evolving into pitchy guitar solos and extra-weary singing from Brittell, Wake’s ambience darkens considerably. Even when compared to equally depressing songs, like drum-heavy and angsty “Wake” or the downtrodden guitar picking of “Marked & Tied,” which sports lines like, “We were not meant to be alone,” “The Night” just feels sadder. Wake’s tendency to whiplash the listener with opposing emotions only makes for a more arresting listening experience. This feature proves the band has evolved through problems of every type, and Wake is a gorgeous testament to Brightwood’s strength and talent.
Recommended If You Like: Acceptance, Brave Citizens meets Kyte, fu**ing hype!!!!!!, Copeland, fu**ing HYPE!!!!!
www.myspace.com/brightwood