By Raci Levine
Features Editor
On Jan. 14th, Grammy award-winning band The Lumineers released their new album called “BRIGHTSIDE.” This long-awaited album definitely didn’t disappoint.
After three years, the indie folk band debuts “BRIGHTSIDE,” featuring nine songs. Their goal of the album was to write from the heart. It is an emotional and calming album, with every song leaving the listeners in a peaceful state.
According to an interview with singer-guitarist Wesley Schultz, he said that much of his lyrical inspiration came from “[lots] of walking around the park and singing to [himself to form] a melody.”
This album differs from previous albums as it feels personal for the listener, connecting them to The Lumineers. Schultz states that “[the lyrics] just kind of spilled out, and there is a certain energy to that. In the past, we didn’t really trust ourselves enough to do something like that.”
This is the Lumineers fourth album. Their first album, “The Lumineers,” came out in 2012 and contained their hit song “Ho Hey.” This song gave the band its first glimpse of national fame after it was played in the film “Silver Linings Playbook” and in an episode of the television series “The Vampire Diaries.”
Since the band started writing the first song of the album “A.M. RADIO” in fall of 2020, many fans assumed that the pandemic gave them ample time to write. In reality, they needed inspiration to spark the melody for the new song, which came from listening to old songs. From their breakthrough, they found a melody and chorus that would touch their listeners’ hearts.
One of the most emotional songs in the album is “BIG SHOT.” The intention of the song was to inform their listeners that they are the main character, or “big shot,” of their own story. Each listener has a unique perspective and story that represents them. This song helps inspire others to keep going and to remember that they are important and loved.
The song “BIRTHDAY” is a tear-jerking song about loving others and yourself. This theme is developed early in the song as Jeremiah Fraites and Wesley Schults sing, “I don’t know why I couldn’t love myself.” The song begins with a calming melody and quickly gets more upbeat at the chorus. This song is one of the most relatable and catchy songs in the album.
The Lumineers described this album as exuding the same feelings as “a 15-year-old’s fever dream.” This makes “BRIGHTSIDE” the perfect nostalgic album for the band and a wonderful, relatable album for high school students. This beautiful album will impact many people of all ages in addition to giving listeners the inspiration to keep pushing through roadblocks and tough times brought by life and the pandemic.
“BRIGHTSIDE” was different from their previous albums like “III” (2019), “Cleopatra” (2016) or “The Lumineers” (2012). This album was more emotional, and the listeners can truly hear Fraites and Schults’ sincerity and love poured into every lyric.
The album was released on Jan. 14 and can be streamed on Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube and SoundCoud, as well as other streaming platforms.
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