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MUSIC FEATURE

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THE THREE DEVASTATIONS OF ADRIANNE LENKER

G etting up close and personal is the MO of Big Thief's Adrianne Lenker, whose remarkable songwriting is incisive, candid, and sometimes cryptic. But we weren’t prepared for the delicate

featuring large emotions. It’s intimate and clever, but ultimately bleak. Big Thief fans will notice the band's 2023 cut Vampire Empire amongst the track list. But instead of the polished product BT released, Lenker's solo

invite into her life that fifth solo album Bright Future (a dichotomy?) offers. This album is devastating: devastatingly good, devastatingly raw, and devastatingly sad. Line this puppy up as your self

version is a dirty, raw, acoustic copy. It’s a bloody brilliant track, and almost – dare we say it – uplifting. But don’t worry: the indie folk sounds of heartbreaking despair are swiftly returned in Evol (next in the chain of lyrical brilliance), and closer Ruined , which will have the tears flowing. Following 2020's double

Bright Future by Adrianne Lenker is out March 22 via 4AD.

indulgent break-up buddy; load the freezer with Ben & Jerry’s, set the phone to silent, and immerse yourself in a lacking-in-cheer but dripping-in talent collection of songs. The opening seconds of first track Real House present a muffled mic with background noise. It’s like we are in Lenker's studio – and it’s perfect, as the lyrics reveal a conscious stream of memory which links a series of small incidents

release of Songs and Instrumentals , it's been a long four years since we've received a full-length gift from Lenker. The fans are aching for Bright Future , and, with its release, Lenker will undoubtedly elevate her already alpine high pedestal. Trista McConville

FLUORO, FUN, AND FEMALE POWER

N ostalgia is a beautiful gift, and Bananarama's Glorious: The Ultimate Collection will hit you right in the feels. Before listening to this compilation, we weren’t confident we knew that many ‘Rama hits - but once the music was rolling, it was singalong after singalong of consumable pop brilliance. The number of tunes that were so familiar really shouldn't be shocking, because Bananarama are the Guinness World Record holders for most internationally-charted hits by an all-female band. And The Ultimate Collection is the ultimate auditory encyclopaedic evidence as to why. Formed in 1980, Bananarama have over 40 years of music to throw at us, so it’s unsurprising it takes three discs to include every track worthy of the collection. We Heard a Rumour the songs

were handpicked by the band's original founding Venuses Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward (who have operated as a duo for the overwhelming bulk of the band's career), and, after first listen, we can assure you we are guilty of Love In the First Degree. Channeling a Minogue-esque style, 2023's Feel

the Love is a belter, sewing together the

your legwarmers and jazzersize yourself back to a land of fluoro, fun, and female power, 'cos it’ll be a Cruel Summer if you let this chunk of wax pass you by. Trista McConville

this year. It should be included on all playlists titled 'Music to Motivate', hooking you in immediately and proving the duo are just getting better. All the songs you love by this genius pair are here for your listening pleasure, including 11 tracks never before released on vinyl. Throw on

timelines of those '80s girls (who were crooning to the Italian-speaking De Niro) and the post millennium women who blew the crowd away at the 2019 Glastonbury Festival. This is a pro pair. The electric Supernova , tucked into

Dallin and Woodward

in the clip for Bananarama's Venus (1986)

Glorious: The Ultimate Collection by Bananarama is out March 8 via London Recordings.

the second of the three discs, was only released in January of

68 MARCH 2024

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