The Bright Light Social Hour delivers classic bare-assed rock and roll tempered with indie, experimental, and deep-funk influences. Good friends and great communicators, they never forget that they are musicians first, but entertainers even more first.
Biography
The Bright Light Social Hour is an American rock band from Austin, Texas. Born out of a university art-rock collective, The Bright Light Social Hour has evolved into an unabashedly wide-screen rock act, melding classic rock energy with indie, experimental, and soul influences.
The band formed at a small liberal arts college outside of Austin. Fueled by the cozy yet intellectually rigorous atmosphere, band founders Curtis Roush and Jack O’Brien set out to create rock music drawn equally from studied classics and contemporary experimentation. The young scholars soon kidnapped Jo Mirasole from a nearby high school drumline and tempted prolific Austin singer-songwriter A.J. Vincent with Curtis’ homemade organic cookies. With Curtis and Jack having freshly acquired their Master’s degrees from the University of Texas, the band has left behind the comforts of academia and is now ready to bring the ass to indie rock.
"Back and Forth" is their third proper release, featuring the pastoral experimentation and dark funk contrasts of "Back and Forth" parts 1 and 2, as well as the incendiary, cinematic thunder of "Rhubarb Jam."
Tracked to analog tape at Top Hat Recording in Austin, this record marks an evolution in their sound. Reminiscent of The Band, the featured single, "Back and Forth (Part 2)," finds singers Curtis, Jack, and A.J. trading lead vocals and backing each other up with rich harmonies. Throughout the record, Curtis and A.J. interweave complex melodies and trade fiery licks on electric guitar and Hammond B3 organ, respectively. Undergirding it all, bassist Jack and drummer Jo form a powerhouse rhythm section with deep groove and staggering syncopation.
Big on community, The Bright Light Social Hour is also spreading love through as many other means as possible. From free homemade cookies at their shows to DIY screen-printing and print-making, these young gentlemen are pouring themselves into developing the artistic community around them and doing it in the manner they do it best – by relishing the details. The band will be touring and generating exposure in support of "Back and Forth" throughout the summer and fall, with plans to record a full-length record next year – loving life and loving each other.
"I might have described The Bright Light Social Hour as 'the next big thing,' but a band that rocks so hard, packs so many shows, and shepherds in so many devoted fans is hardly the next big thing. No, my friends, The Bright Light Social Hour is, simply, the big thing--no nexts about it."
-Oscar Axel Gerdner
Great vid you guys! The production is off tha chainnn! I love the strobing drum break near the beginning and how incredibly hideous of a woman AJ is. Good work!
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