Taylor Swift and Beyoncé dominated entertainment headlines this year, but their latest albums — The Tortured Poets Department and Cowboy Carter, respectively — were just two of many bright spots in an overall great year for music.
Charli XCX ruled the summer (and the color green) with Brat, a rollicking album that dared to ask whether club kids have feelings too, while Lainey Wilson topped the country charts with her stellar fifth album, Whirlwind. In the hip-hop world, Kendrick Lamar and Doechii reigned supreme, and folk fans rejoiced at Adrianne Lenker’s latest solo effort.
Adrianne Lenker, ‘Bright Future’
Bright Future opens with “Real House,” an achingly intimate reflection on Lenker’s childhood and relationship with her mother. The song’s demo-like feel — with plenty of room tone and breathing sounds — immediately orients the listener to the album’s organic nature. Lenker recorded Bright Future on analog tape at a studio in the woods with some of her favorite collaborators, and that comfort and connection can be heard on the songs.
Despite the unpolished, live sound, the songs on Bright Future are intentional and fully realized. “Vampire Empire,” which Lenker previously released as a single with her band Big Thief in 2023, is particularly masterful with its wordy raging about a codependent relationship. — Sara Donnellan
Standout Track: “Sadness as a Gift,” a bittersweet indie folk song with lilting violin and unassuming vocal harmonies
