Bright Light Bright Light - Fun City

Buy Fun City here (BLBL's website)

Overview:

There is almost no doubt that the hottest tourist destination this autumn/winter is going to be Fun City - and your musical guide is none other than Mr Bright Light Bright Light himself. Like a lyrical Brendan from Coach Trip, the singer-songwriter is inviting you to take a journey through queer history and celebrate all that has been achieved and all that the LGBTQIA+ community is. All are welcome - just bring an appreciation for shimmering melodies, enticing grooves and scintillating guest stars. Beyond the lyrical stories from voices from the community he sings about, the listener gets an itch to explore the rich history they are immersed in such is the vibrant way these tales of the city are presented. It is a ravishingly produced, exquisitely performed collection of songs that makes me believe in hope all over again. And after the year we've had, that is something that is god send from the pop heavens. 

Longer read:

• Touchy (ft Brendan Maclean) ~ Oh the sass and allure of the opening track. The exciting frisson of human connection has never been more vital than in these dark days of lockdown; these two queer provocateurs build a simmering sense of anticipation over a continuously crescendo of sinewy synths and theatrical percussion. What isn't lost in the opulent dramatics is that persuasive finger click groove and persuasive layered vocals. Fun City has begun and it is electrifying.
• I Used To Be Cool ~ Gloria Gaynor style grooves, shuddering synth effects and percussive rhythms sneak up on you, luring you into their fibrous flow. BLBL guides the irrepressible melody alongside this sumptuous score, ensuring it stands as an equal partner to the pulsing patterns of electronica cascading around his wistful vocal. As someone who was never cool, it is nice to live vicariously through this reflective look back at a life before the drama and rewards of love.
• Sensation (ft Jake Shears) ~ this song is the closest we may get to a night on the town with BLBL and Jake. With italo-house piano chords, hand clap beats and a groove that *does* make you feel like dancing, the lyrics paint a picture of a jubilant festival when you find those people who will love you for who you are. The duet-ting vocalists are clearly living their best gay life as there is a genuine sense of excitement and euphoria in their performance which makes the listening experience a tingling ball of infectious party vibes.
• Good at Goodbyes (ft Andy Bell) ~ and the stars keep on shining. This delectable duet sees Erasure's Andy Bell join Mr Thomas for a melancholy exploration of break-ups and how each one seems to take another tiny piece of us with them. In true Donna Summer style, the fragility of emotion is explored through piano-vocal balladry; but both artists have always excelled at dancing their tears away & this soon transforms into a true disco stomper. The synth cascades like light from a glitter ball while the pulsing beat of the verses raises anticipation for the chorus. From this sadness comes utter joy.
• You Make It So Easy, Don't You (ft Sam Sparro) ~ punchy chords and string effects bubble alongside this ode to those who just make life seem so effortless to those around them. Making this a duet with the gorgeous voice of Sam Sparro gives two duelling perspectives which collide with exquisite majesty. The sultry whispering in the middle 8 may be one of pop's most enticing siren calls. Their combined talents make pop music look so easy and you'll soon be wishing this song would last forever...
• It's Alright, It's OK (ft Caveboy) ~ It is still a struggle to live a life as your authentic self. Judgement, dismissal and even laws hold those wonderful people in the LGBTQIA+ community back, suppressing the butterfly waiting to emerge. Alongside the ravishing voice of Caveboy, Bright Light Bright Light crafts a genuine pride anthem. Emphatic synths, perhaps the most powerful since Pet Shop Boys So Hard, accentuate that glorious refrain of "don't let anybody change whats inside you" - delivered with such enthusiasm that you can visually imagine the hand clap emoji in between each word.  So much more that a song, it is an aural hug of support.
• This Was My House (ft Niki Harris, Donna De Lory & Initial Talk) ~ a clear labour of love that transports us back to the pulsing house music grooves of the early 90s. There are vibes of Robin S Show Me Love and, of course (considering the legendary history of his guest singers), Madonna's Vogue. Yet it never feels derivative, merely a loving tribute transformed through the kaleidoscope of BLBL and Initial Talk's vision for the song. Don't give in to fear is the message; and there is such ferocity in the vocals; a determination to reclaim his space lending a sense of righteous fury that is contagious.
• Never Be Lonely (ft Kaye) ~ it is the summer anthem we never quite got to embrace this year, but these Balearic style beats will still sound just as radiant in the balmy months of 2021. It is a tale as old as time yet sounds distinctly fresh. Rod sings with a genuine yearning, pondering how to make this relationship work. In putting that question out into the world (and adding those sumptuous horn effects into the tapestry of the music) he brings hope and optimism that will have you grabbing the one you love and swirling around with giddy abandon. Bloody beautiful.
• These Dreams (ft The Illustrious Blacks) ~ With an empowering gay pride message intricately woven into the opening beats of the song, this is a searing examination of how those oppressed don't need sympathy or thoughts & prayers. Opinions need to change, actions need to be taken so that people don't live in fear. The lyrics are bittersweet yet relevant, angst driven yet essential. The Illustrious Blacks lift Rod's voice, making this a rallying call to the masses. Time. To. Stand. Up.
• Love Song (ft Big Dipper) ~ honestly, I'd have been thrilled if this was a cover of the Prince-Madonna duet, but I'm equally as satiated with this original composition. Sparse drum beats pulse like the blood in your veins, whilst beguiling electronica cascade alongside Bright Light Bright Light's heartfelt honesty - perhaps the most insightful since Alanis taught us You Oughta Know. The bridge gives us 90s style rap courtesy of Big Dipper and this should be happening in gay pop - those collaborations that show love is love in all its wonderfully messy, f'd up forms!
• Next To You (ft Mark Gatiss) ~ well blooming heck. In an all new league of gentlemen, Rod teams up with esteemed actor Mark Gatiss on a blissfully transcendent mid-tempo gem. In case you haven't worked it out yet, the  real genius of Bright Light Bright Light is on full display here - taking the every day of those listening and telling our story in a way we perhaps don't have the eloquence and creativity for. Mark delivers melodic spoken word in the middle 8 that makes this a mesmerising two person play just as powerful and memorable as any 2 hour stage production. 
• Saying Goodbye Is Exhausting (ft Justin Vivian Bond) ~ the album ends on a downbeat note, but it is so musically lovely and has such impact that you can't help but feel it is exactly the right way to leave Fun City. It is a lovely torch song cabaret ballad, like the power of Liza Minnelli's So Sorry I Said gave them creative inspiration. Dour saxophone is truly captivating and the raw emotion of both Rod and Justin's vocals is so tangible that I'm not ashamed to say it made me shed a tear. A timeless song for the ages.