“Bright”

Album Review

What does young love sound like?

Well, it sounds like Echosmith’s “Bright.” And what does “Bright” sound like? It’s the kind of song that harkens back to Taylor Swift’s first blush-filled songs about romance. Perhaps that’s because Echosmith’s lead singer, Sydney Sierota, is herself just a little older now (at 18) than Taylor Swift was when she got her start.

Indeed, it’s almost impossible not to think about Taylor Swift while listening to “Bright.” Sydney’s voice sounds a lot like Swift’s, and her wide-eyed twitterpation is every bit as earnest as Taylor’s was early on. Meanwhile, the stripped-down acoustic accompaniment by Sydney’s three brothers almost sounds like a folksy country song—in stark contrast to the band’s polished synth-pop sounds on previous hit “Cool Kids.”

Sydney says she’s in love here, and we end up believing her. She coos blissfully, apparently about the object of her ardor, “You make me sing ooh la, la, la/You make a girl go ooh, ooh, ooh/I’m in love, love.”

We also hear, “You sprinkle star dust on my pillow case/It’s like a moonbeam brushed across my face/Nights are good, and that’s the way it should be.” And while one could certainly interpret those lines as sensually suggestive, there’s nothing in the balance of the song to suggest anything sexual.

Instead, there’s just wonder at the beauty of the night sky and its celestial extravaganza. “Did you see that shooting star tonight?” Sydney asks in awestruck innocence. “Were you dazzled by the same constellation?” These are the kinds of questions you ask when you’re young. And you’re in love.

Sydney sighs, “I think the universe is on my side/Heaven and earth have finally aligned/Days are good, and that’s the way it should be.” That’s followed by these playful questions in the chorus: “Did you and Jupiter conspire to get me?/I think you and the moon and Neptune got it right/’Cause now I’m shining bright, oh so bright.”

So mostly what we have here is the sheer delight of a young person in love, and the “bright” feelings that experience stirs up.

The video, meanwhile, shines a light on a group of teens (including band members) who hike up a hill with their camping gear. We watch a guy snuggle in next to a girl in a sleeping bag while they all watch the shooting stars—and do nothing more than that.