After an over two-year hiatus, folk-rock band The Lumineers returned with a brand new album. The band is well known for its hit songs, “Ophelia” and “Ho Hey,” but The Lumineers’ latest endeavor differs from previous projects.
With nine tracks, “BRIGHTSIDE” was preceded by three singles — “A.M. RADIO,” “BIG SHOT” and a title track. In an interview with Atwood Magazine, Wesley Schultz, lead vocalist and guitarist, said the album was assembled relatively smoothly.
“It feels more carefree and less calculated, because it was … more a stream of consciousness kind of album that flowed out instead of being poured over and written to death,” Schultz told the magazine.
The title track “BRIGHTSIDE” sets the tone of the album. Upon first listen, it’s surprising to hear the difference between this song and The Lumineers’ prior music. The track begins with only drums — not a drastic departure from their typical projects. However, after a few seconds, an electric guitar is introduced. The Lumineers have released primarily acoustic music since their founding, so this instrumental change is a considerable deviation.
“BRIGHTSIDE,” according to a statement from the band, was written in one day. It’s written from the perspective of a person who promises to commit to someone else even though they aren’t doing well.
Throughout the song, multiple references to drug use and similarly difficult battles are made. However, the chorus feels significantly less dark, with the repetition of “I’ll be your brightside, baby, tonight.”
The second single from the album, “BIG SHOT,” brings a different feel. It’s a ballad with primarily piano instrumentals. During the second verse, drums are added. The bridge is entirely instrumental, with a ’90s-esque guitar riff repeating throughout.
“BIG SHOT” serves as a reminder for the band to remain humble. During a September live performance of the song, Schultz explained what keeps him grounded.
“When I’ve been humbled in my life, it’s because I had to work a couple jobs just to play music, to beg friends to come out to shows, to be off the road for 18 months,” Schultz said.
Lyrics like “The manifest and destiny/ Well, all of this could go away right now” highlight the fleetingness of fame. The sentiment is powerful — whether you’re famous or not, it’s important to remain humble, as everything can change in an instant.
The releases preceding “BRIGHTSIDE” are reflective of the rest of the album. The tracks all sound different — with a variety of instruments present — but still cohesive.
Two tracks on the album, “WHERE WE ARE” and “BIRTHDAY,” have the same takeaways, but The Lumineers display a different technique on each track. One is written about a single experience, and the other about a generalization.
“WHERE WE ARE” was based on a personal experience for Schultz — a car accident he and his wife were in 10 years ago. The chorus of the song repeats, “I don’t know where we are / but it will be OK.” While this lyric can be reminiscent of the suddenness of Schultz’ car accident, it can also be applied to life in general, with the trust that everything will be OK no matter how lost someone may feel.
On the other hand, “BIRTHDAY” takes the approach that no matter how negative life is at any moment, there’s always a silver lining. Before performing the song live in September, Schultz explained its meaning.
“It seems like in the most difficult, in the hardest times, there are still people being kind to each other, there are still babies being born, there’s people wishing each other a happy birthday,” Schultz said.
The most captivating part of “BIRTHDAY” is the bridge. While the rest of the song is comparable to The Lumineers’ typical music, the bridge is cut down significantly, the instrumentals are minimal and it’s led by Schultz’ vocals almost exclusively. It’s followed by sounds of applause — a common practice after the song “Happy Birthday” is sung to someone. The song overall is admirable, but this detail is a clever addition.
The final track on the album, “REPRISE,” is quite an entertaining listen. With piano and drum instrumentals, the song is somewhat upbeat. References to certain lyrics on the other tracks make the closing track interesting. For example, the bridge is a repetition of the lyrics “Waitin’ on the sun,” which is also the bridge of the prior track, “REMINGTON.” The song also has callbacks to the singles “BRIGHTSIDE” and “A.M. RADIO.” This track is a perfect conclusion to the album, wrapping it up in a way that makes you want to listen to it all over again.
“BRIGHTSIDE” shows promising growth for The Lumineers. While somewhat similar to their prior projects, it still expands their musical horizons. It also seems to have opened a door to the band creating future music that deviates even more from their normal sound, and if The Lumineers’ new musical direction is anything like this album, then their future looks bright.
Contact Taylor St. Pierre at stpierta@dukes.jmu.edu. For more on the culture, arts and lifestyle of the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the culture desk on Twitter and Instagram @Breeze_Culture.
