Having impressed with debut EP, Adventures in 2015, British rockers Brightlight City now reveal the blossoming invention and increasing maturity in their sound with successor Our Future’s Not Dead. Hinted at by a pair of singles last year, the new release is evidence of a band building on an impressive start and potential with stylish adventure whilst nurturing a whole new promise for continued growth.
Surrey bred, Brightlight City weave in inspirations from the likes of Hundred Reasons, Million Dead, Yourcodenameis:milo, At the Drive-In, Biffy Clyro, and Jimmy Eat World into their sound; indeed sparking comparisons to the former and others such as Thursday and Hell Is For Heroes with their melody rich and harmonically honed songs. Equally there is a fresh and potent catchiness and steel to Our Future’s Not Dead which as suggested was first glimpsed within last year’s singles Gravity and Thieves. It is a growth in sound which has come with an increasing reputation and praise for their live shows through the quintet sharing stages with Max Raptor, Fizzy Blood, Bad Sign, and Blood Youth and playing alongside Rise Against and Millencolin at Envol et Macadam Festival in Canada in 2015as well as their own shows.
Recorded with Matt Hyde (Funeral For A Friend, Bullet For My Valentine, Slipknot), Our Future’s Not Dead is likely to spark another bout of attention and hunger for Brightlight City, setting out its persuasive strength with opener It Depends On You. Skittish beats alongside vocal and guitar offered temptation bring the song into focus; their low key yet agitated attitude soon a full roar as vocalist Jamie Giarraputo heads a web of melodic enterprise from guitarists Jonathan Staunton and Justin Giarraputo, the latter adding his own potent vocal expression to the mix. Anthemic in heart, imposing in rhythm as the hefty jabs of drummer Ben Bell court the brooding lines of bassist Tom Stock, the track roars with energy and passion.
With a mellower air Leave A Light On follows, wiry melodies swimming round a throaty bassline as emotive vocals entice with distinctive expression. Once again there is an instinctive catchiness at work, never wavering as fiery textures evolve and unite in a livelier blaze of sound and emotion. In some ways it is a less intricate proposition than its predecessor but only to its strength as each element is a flame of craft and drama before making way for Heart Stops. The third track comes coated in the infectiousness of the opener, its swinging body almost pop punk like and relentlessly coaxing listener involvement with its vocal harmonies and controlled but boisterous swing; a tenacious essence just as open in the calmer moments of a song taking best track honours.
The EP is brought to an end by Past/Future, a track epitomising the evolution in the Brightlight City sound with its rounded fusion of melody and energy amidst a new depth of contagiousness and invention. As all the songs within Our Future’s Not Dead it is a memorable and lingering encounter going to make a thoroughly enjoyable and impressing release. The Brightlight City sound has yet to become something truly unique but as the EP shows, it is well on the way and providing some rather tasty encounters along the way.
Our Future’s Not Dead is out now through Undead Collective Records.
https://www.brightlightcityofficial.co.uk/ https://www.facebook.com/brightlightcityofficial https://twitter.com/blcband
Pete RingMaster 12/04/2017
Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright
The superb start is matched by the virulent exploits of Broken Hearted where again aggressive textures and warm melodies entangle in a contagious roar. Riffs and rhythms prowl with rapacious relish whilst hooks and vocals come littered with infectious enterprise. There is a touch of Jimmy Eat World meets The Wildhearts to the song but already the album is deep in unveiling a Hellbound Hearts only owned proposal, revealing more with every passing minute and songs like next up Poor Disguises. Taking its time to rise up, almost stalking the listener with its predacious beats and subsequent bass groan, the song stands tall with hungry riffs which in turn spark a punk fuelled charge of attitude and energy which continues to infest the song’s tenacious and grouchy rock ‘n’ roll. Lambert’s warm tones bring a fine temper as too melodies though they have a touch scorching senses like licking flames; everything adding to a stomping slice of punk ‘n’ roll.
The great start is soon eclipsed by the following theatre of Punch?, a song which is as unpredictable as it is catchy. From its first breath sing-a-long vocals unite with sonic espionage as the guitars twist and turn with technical revelry and math rock spiced invention. The rhythms of Tilly and Somerset drive the song relentlessly, adding to its infection as the imagination of the band, not always as forceful elsewhere, has a field day.
Since your early days, how would you say your sound has evolved?
The potent expanse of diversity within the album is soon beginning to reveal itself with What If. From vocals to sound, it carries a rockabilly meets melodic rock ingenuity which simply seduces as the track, with the bass on the front foot, prowls ears. Hooks litter every lure of the song’s invitation whilst a virulence of emotive and creative dexterity infests the imagination and psyche. As its predecessor, the track is aural gold and an unstoppable manipulation of the body and listener participation, much as Not The Face which follows straight after. It too is quickly in command, its buoyant infectiousness aligned to imposing aggression and anthemic tenacity with a Billy Talent like resourcefulness to it all.
Once EP opener Shaman storms through ears, rapidly stirring up enjoyment and appetite, the band without being wholly unique, reveals freshness and adventure to their music which just grabs attention and sets them apart from the masses. Fair comparisons have been raised to bands such as early Biffy Clyro, YouMeAtSix, and Don Broco but there is plenty more rippling through songs suggesting something individual to Elements. The first track aligns winey blues wrapped tendrils of guitar with a flirtatious almost electro shuffle which is not too far away from the persuasion Blondie once blossomed. It blends well, the song brewing a virulent tempting to which the skittish beats of Ash Martin and the dark lures of Max Bakker’s bass add their own potent seduction. Vocalist Graham Rogers is just as vibrant and inviting, his powerful tones backed well by those of Bakker and guitarist Ollie Butler who alongside fellow string craftsmen Robin Small spins a web of hooks and melodic spicery to match. It is a contagious riot of sound and energy, and a quite irresistible start to the release.
Backed by two unreleased tracks on the EP, the Olly Riva and Mario Rice produced Because I’m Sad gets things off to a gripping start. From its opening coaxing of acoustic guitar and the swiftly magnetic voice of Briganti, the song has ears in the palm of its hands, especially as the gentle opening soon sparks a feistier burst of rhythms and riffs. Quickly blooming greater colour and richer tempting through spicy hooks and anthemic enterprise, it continues to evolve, breaking into a tenacious canter reminding of bands like Everclear and Jimmy Eat World. It is a recognisable essence though which only adds to the potency and arousing drama of the song, and indeed its virulent infectiousness.