Lumineers - “BRIGHTSIDE” Album Review

Story posted January 18, 2022 in Arts & Entertainment by Sophia D’Ovidio.

This Friday, folk-rock band The Lumineers released their fourth studio album, “BRIGHTSIDE.”

The Lumineers are known for their folk-influenced soft rock music. They blew up onto the mainstream in 2013 with their first single, “Ho Hey.”

While this band has been together for roughly 17 years, this is their first album since their album “III,” released in 2019.

“BRIGHTSIDE” only contains nine tracks. However, each track is as impressive as the next, making this album some of the best work The Lumineers have put out recently.

This album has a mix of slow ballads along with more upbeat tracks.

Their first single, “BRIGHTSIDE,” is one of the more impressive songs on the album. The calming melody and vocal performance are balanced well with the electric guitar.

A real highlight of the album was the second track and third and final single, “A.M. RADIO,” which features some of the best songwriting on the album. The repetitive nature of the chorus helps the listener understand the longing and loss expressed in this song.

However, the third and fourth tracks of this album fall short of the quality of their predecessors. Both “WHERE WE ARE” and “BIRTHDAY” are not necessarily bad songs, but lack the quality and originality of the other songs on this album.

This album picks up with “BIG SHOT,” which was the second single. While “BIG SHOT” doesn’t necessarily stand out on the album, it is a welcome addition.

The other best song on this project, “NEVER REALLY MINE,” incorporates a lot more rock characteristics into a song with some of the most heartbreaking songs on this album.

The Lumineers are known primarily for their slow but upbeat songs. “ROLLERCOASTER” is much slower than a typical Lumineers track. Nevertheless, this song’s vocal performance and lyrics make the slow-ballad a great song to go back to and listen to.

Maybe the most exciting part of “BRIGHTSIDE” is the transition from the track “REMINGTON” into the final track, “REPRISE.”

“REMINGTON” is a slower and almost ominous track. The electric guitar slowly picks up throughout the song, and when it gets going, the song ends and picks up right into “REPRISE.”

“REPRISE” expertly helps tie in many of the musical and lyrical themes of the entire album. It is the perfect closer for this album and is an impressive feat from the band.

Overall, “BRIGHTSIDE” is a gratifying project. Fans of The Lumineers will enjoy this album as it is keeping within the band’s established sound.

However, an issue with the album is that many of the songs sound similar. While listening to the album, it was hard to recognize that a new song was playing.

Even if the songs were noticeably different at times, the album became boring to listen to, which isn’t a great trait in an album, especially if that album is only 30 minutes long.

The Lumineers have a unique sound that isn’t necessarily the most popular. However, it is endearing that the band doesn’t try and hop on any new music trends. Keeping true to the music they want to make has led them to make some great songs.  

“BRIGHTSIDE” contains some great tracks and some that are just mediocre. However, this album is an excellent addition to this band's discography and will leave fans excited for what the band comes out with next.

Rating: 7/10

Reviewer’s Favorite Songs: “BRIGHTSIDE,” “A.M. RADIO,” and “REPRISE”

Reviewer’s Least Favorite Songs: “WHERE WE ARE” and “BIRTHDAY.”

 

Sophia D’Ovidio is a first-year majoring in communications. To contact her, email sgd5184@psu.edu.