Bright Light Bright Light
He’s been making music for a while, but I just discovered Bright Light Bright Light yesterday, and I need to tell you about him right now.
Key facts:
– His actual name is Rod Thomas, but apparently, he records as Bright Light Bright Light to brand himself as a producer, DJ, remixer, and artist.
– Like Erasure or Robyn or David Guetta, he makes beautiful electro-pop music… music with a driving beat that also showcases melody and passionate singing.
– His best songs say surprising and honest things about the struggles of being in love. Check out “Waiting for the Feeling:”
It’s really good, right? Moody and layered, yet easy to dance to. Even better, it’s telling a story about a man who wants to be consumed by the feeling of love, while his current lover insists on talking about things, on making demands and observations instead of letting things happen. “I want someone who reaches out, someone who can show me love,” Thomas sings. “But you keep on telling me what you want. Oh, you keep on telling me how I feel. But I want someone who can make me fall in love and then hit the ground running.”
In other words, “Please stop telling me what I am and what you are and what we are. Let’s just be in love.” I UNDERSTAND!
I also understand “A New Word to Say,” about feeling like a cliche when you’re trying to be part of a relationship. You can’t think of the right thing to say when things are good or when they’re bad, and you just end up feeling overwhelmed and stuck. Because who the hell is going to train you to be in love in the “right way?” How do people figure that out? (Note: I think I did figure it out, eventually, but I still remember this feeling very well.)
– Bright Light Bright Light’s music videos are clever and surprising, in a low-fi, let’s-have-fun-on-a-budget way. They suggest he’s an artist with a vision for his entire career, from music to image to message. I like that.
– As a bonus, Rod Thomas is an out gay man who is so cute that I fee lightheaded just thinking about him.
So there you go! His album is called Make Me Believe In Hope, and it just came out last month. His talent and cuteness are undeniable. I predict he’s going to be one of my favorite artists of the year.
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Previously: I get giggly about another cute guy who makes good music
Mark Blankenship tweets as @IAmBlankenship. He’s really into the video for “A New Word to Say,” and he just keeps watching it
