Adrianne Lenker has announced her fourth studio album, Bright Future, out March 22nd via 4AD. Along with the announcement, the Big Thief member has shared the single “Sadness As a Gift.”
Bright Future will be Lenker’s first album since 2020’s dual albums, Songs and Instrumentals, and was co-produced by longtime collaborator Philip Weinrobe. Embracing the unique blend of lo-fi acoustic and alternative that Lenker has become a master of, the album prominently features contributions from Nick Hakim, Mat Davidson, and Josefin Runsteen, all of whom were integral to the album’s sound, according to Lenker.
“I think the thing these people have in common [is that] they are some of the best listeners I know musically,” Lenker said in a statement, reflecting on the live-in-the-room recording process the musicians employed. “They have extreme presence… It felt like everyone’s nervous systems released. Once we were IN the song, somehow we just knew. No one stopped a take. We didn’t listen back. I only listened after everybody else left.”
The single, “Sadness As a Gift,” reflects this, presenting an uber-warm arrangement carried by Runsteen’s melodic violin part. Over top, Lenker sings lyrics about the passing of time, illustrating life’s beauty with folksy lyrics like “The seasons go so fast/ Thinking that this one was going to last/ Maybe the question was too much to ask.” Stream the song below.
Joining “Sadness As a Gift” on the tracklist of Bright Future will be Lenker’s 2023 single, “Ruined,” as well as the “original recording” of “Vampire Empire,” a tune that was recorded and released by Big Thief last year (earning Song of the Week status). The full album is due on March 22nd, with pre-orders ongoing.
Get Adrianne Lenker Tickets Here
Additionally, Lenker has also unveiled a new string of North American tour dates in 2024, doubling the amount of gigs she’s booked for. Check out the full list of her upcoming dates below. An artist ticket pre-sale begins Thursday, January 18th, with a public on-sale following on Friday, January 19th via Ticketmaster.
Bright Future Artwork:
Bright Future Tracklist:
01. Real House
02. Sadness As a Gift
03. Fool
04. No Machine
05. Free Treasure
06. Vampire Empire
07. Evol
08. Candleflame
09. Already Lost
10. Cell Phone Says
11. Donut Seam
12. Ruined
Adrianne Lenker 2024 Tour Dates:
03/21 – Knoxville, TN @ Big Ears
04/19 – Galway, IE @ The Black Box *
04/20 – Kilkenny, IE @ St. Canice’s Cathedral *
04/21 – Dublin, IE @ Vicar Street *
04/24 – Glasgow, GB @ Old Fruitmarket +
04/25 – Manchester, GB @ The Hall at Aviva Studios +
04/27 – London, GB @ Barbican Centre #
04/28 – London, GB @ Barbican Centre #
04/29 – Bristol, GB @ Bristol Beacon +
05/02 – Paris, FR @ Le Trianon +
05/03 – Brussels, BE @ Cirque Royale +
05/05 – Amsterdam, NL @ The Concertgebouw #
05/06 – Berlin, DE @ Admiralspalast #
05/07 – Hamburg, DE @ Kampnagel #
05/10 – Copenhagen, DK @ The Royal Danish Academy of Music #
05/11 – Stockholm, SE @ Berns #
05/12 – Oslo, NO @ Chateau Neuf #
06/09 – Austin, TX @ The Paramount Theatre %
06/10 – Austin, TX @ The Paramount Theatre %
06/12 – Albuquerque, NM @ KiMO Theatre %
06/13 – Tucson, AZ @ Rialto Theatre %
06/15 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Theatre at Ace Hotel #
06/16 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Theatre at Ace Hotel +
06/17 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater #
06/20 – Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall #
06/21 – Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall +
06/22 – Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre +
06/25 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot #
06/26 – Denver, CO @ The Mission Ballroom #
06/28 – Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre #
06/29 – Minneapolis, MN @ State Theatre #
11/11 – Northampton, MA @ Academy Of Music Theatre ^
11/12 – Boston, MA @ Boch Center Shubert Theatre ^
11/13 – Boston, MA @ Boch Center Shubert Theatre ^
11/15 – Montreal, QC @ L’Olympia ^
11/16 – Toronto, ON @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre ^
11/19 – Brooklyn, NY @ Kings Theatre ^
11/21 – Atlanta, GA @ The Eastern ^
11/22 – Durham, NC @ TBA ^
11/23 – Washington, DC @ The Anthem ^
11/25 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer ^
11/26 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer ^
* = w/ Ellie O’Neill
+ =w/ Nick Hakim
# = w/ Twain
% = w/ Steve Fisher
^ = w/ Suzanne Vallie