For a six-piece band, 5j Barrow are awfully quiet in “Big Rooms, Bright Lights” — but it’s hard to complain when the noise they make is as hauntingly lovely as the three minutes you hear here. Led by the seemingly effortless chemistry of Eryn Murman and Jason Hite’s vocal blend, it’s the kind of song whose stark sonic simplicity belies its painterly portrayal of tough times and tougher hearts; the arrangement has an unassuming gait, but don’t be surprised if you catch it loping through your brain long after the last chord rings through your speakers — or if you hear it drifting through the background during a meaningful moment in an upcoming movie or an episode of one of your favorite TV shows.
If you like what you hear here, keep an ear out for 5j Barrow’s upcoming LP, From the Dim, Sweet Light, due June 24.
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