There's something electric in the air when a band successfully walks the tightrope of recollections and originality without missing a single step. The Bright Collide finds that balance in their new single, "The Hours," and they sharpen it. Arriving as the new project's second single, it's a plunge into visceral territory, a track that grabs onto your emotions with gritted soul and haunting magnetism. Brian Maier's brainchild, The Bright Collide, emerged from the ashes of a previous project, this time with the blood of new life pumping through its veins and featuring a line-up of musicians ranging from Matt Petersen on drums to Daniel Robbins on bass. Together, they make a close-knit trio, and that chemistry reveals itself in every second of this song.
At its essence, "The Hours" is a clinic in alt-rock storytelling. Its introspective lyrics have an almost physical longing, but the song never wallows. There, it rises with a steady burn, propelled by unyielding percussion and a wistful guitar riff that sounds like it was torn from some basement somewhere in the heart of the early '90s. What distinguishes it is its immediacy, how it seems to metabolize grunge's attitude but transmit present-day anxieties in a voice that sounds of the moment and slightly urgent.
The guitar solo is expressive, dynamic, and perfectly unhinged. It's the collection point for everything, as if the song has hit the emotional high note. "The Hours" is impossibly catchy for all its darker colors, one of those songs that will get lodged in your brain and refuse to leave. It's a melody and a deep dive into self-reflection and emotional nuance. On "The Hours," The Bright Collide shows they are not here to imitate but to resonate. And if this track indicates what we can expect, we all won't be able to stay away. For those who love the emotion that feels raw, killer hooks, and rock that makes you feel something, The Bright Collide is here.