Bright Light Parade: Can't Keep Them Under
by Brittany Smith
Crashing waves are pushing me so far under there is no escaping now / I’m suffocating / I fight the current as I swim against the people in a sea of disbelief / Someone come and save me / I’m sinking faster than ever / You’re dragging me down, but you can’t keep me under / You can’t keep me under.
Penetrating the power pop/rock sound of Bright Light Parade’s new song “Keep Me Under,” these lyrics may bring a sense of despair and strife to someone reading (or listening) to them for the first time. But at the heart of these honest lyrics lies a much deeper message of the struggle to live counter-culturally in a society that tells young people what to believe and how to live. Guitarist and lead vocalist for the band, Lex Anderson, commented, “It’s just talking about how all the people in the world are trying to pull you down into what they think is right and what is cool.” Just as the song echoes the phrase “you can’t keep me under,” so she will fight relentlessly to stand firm in her beliefs while the undercurrent of society urges her to conform to its expectations.
The idea behind this song reveals the heart of Bright Light Parade (formerly known as Infant Band). Sisters Lex and Tori Anderson, 17 and 15, along with their friend Chad Roehrick, 21, take an unconventional approach to society’s standards. They demonstrate this in the way they live their lives, and it resonates in the music they make. Lex recently wrote a song titled “Beautiful Nothing” which talks about her first and only boyfriend, and how she realizes her significance and wholeness does not depend on having him in her life. Rather than dating other guys, she has decided to simply wait for God to bring that special person into her life, patiently saving her heart for her future husband. "I’ll just wait and see if he’s been waiting just like me / He’s been searching / now he’s learning he’s made for me," she sings. This beautifully written song has allowed many girls – and guys – to see a perspective on relationships quite uncommon in today’s society.
Their tunes also resonate with messages of authenticity and hope. Yes, Bright Light Parade’s fun, vibrant and upbeat sound draws listeners’ ears, but their music has impacted people in more profound ways than simply creating a sound imprint in the back of their minds. The nature of their music draws many young women who can relate to their message. When the band first started three years ago, Lex wrote songs about friends of hers who were going through very difficult times in their lives: one struggled with deep depression, and the other had run away from home. “This was my way of telling them that there was hope,” she explained. Even now, Bright Light Parade writes the majority of their songs about real struggles their friends have gone though, and it is in this way that they can relate their music to their generation.
Bright Light Parade exhibits a talent to bridge both Christian and secular worlds, relating to the mainstream through their genuine lyrics about real people who can have hope. “We’re Christians in a band,” emphasized bass player and background vocalist Tori, rather than classifying the group as a strictly Christian band. Their passion is to “reach people that haven’t heard about Jesus in a different way than preaching at them,” according to Lex. Sharing the hope of Jesus to those who are without hope is at the core of why Bright Light Parade exists.
“More” is a great example the band’s ability to cover both the world of Christianity and the mainstream world in one song. When many people listen to the catchy lyrics, they assume the song is referring to a relationship with a boy. However, the actual message refers to getting up early to spend time with God, and how so often people can find time to do other things rather than setting aside moments to talk with God.
“Starlight City” is the title of the group’s most recent EP album, with a full-length CD scheduled to debut in the spring of 2009. The song “Starlight City” is a spunky tune that’s easy to sing along with, but its message seeks to reach listeners on a deeper level. Starlight City (as described in the song) signifies a place where many people go and expect to make it big, but their hope of finding fulfillment in success turns up void, and nothing seems as satisfying as it had first appeared. “Why is everything coming down?” the lyrics ring, with disillusionment and frustration in an empty reality.
Dee Anderson, mother of Lex and Tori, described their message another way: “It’s okay to go and look, but you’re not going to find the answer to your dreams. You’re not going to find love there; you’re not going to find all the things that you thought were going to be there.” Looking for fulfillment in a romanticized picture of success will ultimately let you down. What is more important is learning to be the person God created you to be and doing what he created you to do. Lex fittingly summed up the message behind “Starlight City” by saying, “It’s about finding who you are.”
With a unique combination of exuberant sounds and inspirational underlying messages emanating through their music, Bright Light Parade will continue amplifying a positive voice in their generation. They are scheduled to go on their first tour this fall, spending October and part of November traveling around the Midwest with two other bands: Pilot for Kite and the tour’s headliner, Fate of Angels. Bright Light Parade will perform as an opening band, hoping to participate in 15 shows each month. Lex said the tour will be both challenging and exciting at the same time. “We want to reach people that haven’t heard us, make new friends and share the gifts God has given us as musicians.”
Published August 7, 2008. All rights reserved.