Acoustic emo gold from Brightr with sophomore album Year Two - out via Sugar-Free Records on Friday 25th July
FFO: Into It. Over It. Dashboard Confessional, City & Colour
‘Year Two’ album - Pre-save/smart link
‘Year Two’ full album - Private listen link
TRACK LISTING
Sunshine Coast
Charles Petrescu
Whimsy
Never Home, Never Mind
Lugosi
Coffee
Definitely
Housefires
Lovejoy
Brightr (arguably the UK’s longest serving purveyor of Gloomy Emo Pop) is unleashing the gloomiest of follow-ups to his debut album ‘Year One’ in the summer of 2025. Ironically titled ‘Year Two’ these songs are set to continue the epic journey of sadness and introspection that began in 2016, with Laurie (aka brightr) linking up once more with producer/engineer Matt O’Grady (Youmeatsix /Deaf Havana / Don Broco).
Though sadder and more stripped back than its older sibling, the nine tracks on offer here evoke something of a ‘purge’ for the artist, as he has spoken about in a few words: “I’ve been writing Year Two pretty much since I completed Year One, but it’s been a lengthy work in progress: with an EP, a pandemic and multiple split records in between. I think it ultimately took a while to finish some of these songs and bring others to the surface because I’d buried the feelings and memories so far down, or maybe even morphed the true narrative of them to feel better than they were to somehow protect myself. Whatever the reason, Year Two is finally here. It’s painful, it’s poppy, deeply honest and brutally vulnerable. It’s joyfully crushing but it’s me.”
The follow up to Brightr’s debut album - Year Two really was worth the wait. Nine songs that encapsulate the heartfelt emotion that Laurie wears on his sleeve, this emo acoustic wizardry displays twinkly intricate guitar parts, roaring powerful vocals, all tied together with enough hooks to give Peter Pan nightmares. With upcoming shows across the UK and Ireland over the coming months, Brightr is certain to win over the hearts of many.
Pretty melodic acoustic jams played by a semi-gloomy, but erratically chatty dude. Brightr (the beard behind the tears) has cemented himself as a stalwart of the uk emo scene with 10 years of releasing music and playing shows all over the world; everywhere from an abandoned train station in North Germany, to slots at 2000 Trees, The Fest, Manchester Punk Festival and tours far and wide. Spreading a brand of music loosely recognised as gloomy-emo-pop and infused with a live show that can best be described as "group therapy". 2025 sees the long-awaited release of sophomore record ‘Year Two’, which is sure to bring with it a whole plethora of live shows, so keep those eyes readily open.
Brightr 2025 Live Shows:
26th July @ Herofest, Gravesend
14th August @ Hustle, Belfast
15th August @ Workmans, Dublin
16th August @ Cellar Basement, Galway
17th August @ Fred Zeppelins, Cork
28th August @ The Castle, Swindon
29th August @ Black Cat, Bridgend
13th September @ Worcester Music Festival
19th September @ Frog & Fiddle, Cheltenham
23rd September @ The Bunkhouse, Swansea
24th September @ The Holloway, Norwich
Release Timeline:
17th April - Charles Petrescu single & video release
29th May - Never Home, Never Mind single & video release
26th June - Coffee single & video release
25th July - Year Two album release
brightr Online:
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