THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Iconic singer, songwriter, guitarist, and Alice In Chains co-founder Jerry Cantrell has just released Brighten, his first solo album in 19 years. Cantrell produced the album along with Tyler Bates. The album also features Duff McKagan on bass, Gil Sharone on drums, Greg Puciato on background vocals, Abe Laboriel Jr. on drums, Tyler Bates on strings, percussion and guitar, Vincent Jones on piano, keyboards and strings, Jordan Lewis on piano, and Michael Rozon on pedal steel. The last track is a cover of Elton John’s Goodbye, which John himself approved.
Talking about the title track, Cantrell says, “Pretty early on, I knew Brighten was the cornerstone track of the album, and it seemed to fit the body of work as a title. There’s plenty of darkness and edge, but there’s also some light, space, and good vibes.”
The video for the track, directed by Gilbert Trejo, son of renowned actor Danny Trejo, is loosely based on the fabled Lotus Eaters from Homer’s Odyssey. It depicts a story of a man having a psychedelic experience as a result of eating flowers; a Lotus Eater is a person who spends their time indulging in instant gratification, pleasure and luxury rather than dealing with anything practical. The story is interspersed with an impassioned live performance.”
