Lonely The Brave, Bright Eyes
Easy Life Records

Comeback of the year? It just might be. Lonely The Brave exploded back onto the scene with the anthemic Bound way back in April and the quality has just kept growing since then, and latest cut Bright Eyes might be, well, the brightest yet. Their upcoming (and long-awaited) third album The Hope List is coming next January, and Bright Eyes is just the next step in a constantly onward-looking set of singles that promises that THL is the album we all need.

LTB’s status as rock favourites is secure, especially in the hands of a track like Bright Eyes. Now isn’t the time for breathless optimism or wild bluster – it’s the time for a positivity that feels secure and a culmination of a lot of hard work. Bright Eyes is the latter, built on a steady beat, buoyant guitar section, and deftly crafted lyricism to make for a track that’s as refined as it is expansive. Lonely The Brave’s sound is as confident as it’s ever been, and after a four year silence, they’re back with sharpened intention.

We’ve seen it through the magnitude of Distant Light, the howling intensity of Bound, and the reflective melancholy of Open Door, and now they’ve done it again with Bright Eyes. Lonely The Brave have returned once more with feeling, ready to provide all the resonance, all the catharsis, and all the hope implied in their album title. It’s not been an easy year for anyone, let alone those in bands, but Lonely The Brave go one further: 50% of the band are on the NHS frontline. They’ve always been voices to turn to, but on The Hope List, it looks like LTB’s vitality is renewed, and it’s immense.

The Hope List is out January 22nd.