Brightblack Morning Light
Brightblack Morning Light
by Katie Sauro
07.09.06
The rootsy Bohemian rhythms brought to life by Brightblack Morning Light scream hippie, and sure, with names like Nathan Shineywater and Rabinyah Hughes and song titles like “Star Blanket River Child,” what the hell else are we supposed to think? But like with most things, the simplest characterization is often the most ignorant, and the “hippie” label definitely belies Brightblack’s unique Americana-meets-psychedelia.
The duo’s debut for Matador Records is a mix of eerie whispering vocals, hushed tones and bluesy guitars, and each song is slow and deliberate in its approach, obviously drawing from both Low and My Bloody Valentine. But aside from the quiet plodding they employ throughout the majority of the album, they also throw in horns at different points, and on “All We Have Broken Shines,” a distinct Hawaiian influence can be heard.
At no point, however, do any of the songs on Brightblack speed up in tempo, so people looking for something with a harder edge will have to look elsewhere. But those with the patience for their slow – at times almost painfully so – psychedelia will be greatly rewarded. |
