The second album from Brisbane-Meanjin indie-folk five-piece Full Power Happy Hour builds on the immense promise of their 2021 self-titled debut, adding a gorgeous tinge of alt-country elegance to their inherent feel-good jangle-popfoundations. This musical bed – assembled collaboratively allowing the band’s true spirit to shine through – proves the perfect foil for frontperson Alex Campbell’s compellingly personal lyrics documenting a tumultuous period in their life, an at times fraught journey recast into beautiful, eloquent art.
The 10 songs veer from bright, upbeat toe-tappers to plaintive, introspective ballads, but flow together superbly due to the group’s underlying camaraderie and fast-blossoming chemistry. At times reminiscent of forebears like The Go-Betweens and The Clean, with flourishes of Lucinda Williams and contemporaries like Big Thief and The Weather Station, Bit of Brightness is 100% Full Power Happy Hour and one utterly beguiling aural experience.
