On first listen, Charlie Gleason’s thick Australian tone is reminiscent of Ben Mendelsohn’s distinguished accent in Killing Them Softly, a comparison that makes one laugh out loud. However when studied carefully a second time, Brightly begin to transfix the strangeness of their folk and electronic fusion causing one to listen beyond the surface of Gleason’s banal tone. Funnily enough, his voice becomes more engaging and unique with the progression of the LP. The lyricism in the tracks are quite simplistic, yet powerful. The second track Fox, sounds like a fairytale, complete with childish prose and an eerie warning. Occurring themes of loss and despair are present in this record, with a repetition of missing someone and dreaming of someone. Anger, resentment and hostility are pretty palpable on Over And Overand Doubt. Collectively, the lyricism is quite disturbing and confronting and the pain in Gleason’s voice becomes more and more blatant. When the LP kicks into its fifth track, the instrumentals become less indie-rock and more electronic, with piercing synths and disjointed drum machines, adding to the disconcerting mood of the lyrics. The juxtaposition of folk and electronica is what makes Brightly so interesting and unorthodox. There is the evanescent appearance of post-dubstep in the debut’s experimentation with heavy bass and sampling. & Then We Woke Up incorporates a subtle background of children laughing and screaming, an intrusive and alienating addition distracting the listeners from what is going on in the foreground. The LP’s only instrumental track Soundtrack epitomises the overall sound of the album. It is disjointing, sporadic and unusual. Hood is an especially important track, as it is chock-a-block with metaphor and vivid imagery. Gleason, over a synth-pop melody, sings of the fears of removing our hoods, of revealing our true selves to others. Rich with undertones of fear and anxiety, this removal of our hoods, our security blankets can be interpreted a number of ways. The instrumentation becomes more intense, switching to heavy rock as Gleason’s voice becomes more strained. As a direct reaction to the sombre mood of its predecessor, the final track I Like Tea is a fun and uplifting homage to, yep you guessed it, tea. According to Gleason, the cathartic beverage will solve everything. With minimalistic lyrics and instrumentation, the LP concludes on an inspiring tone. An ambiguous debut record, Brightly manage to simultaneously confuse and satisfy their listeners with a unique and unconventional repertoire.
BY DINA AMIN
Best Track: Hood
If You Like These, You’ll Like This: BRIGHT EYES, THE POSTAL SERVICE
In A Word: Eccentric
