Anything is the latest offering from Tyler Anthony under the moniker Cereus Bright, a project synonymous with deeply introspective songwriting wrapped in lush soundscapes. Known for weaving existential musings into grounded narratives, Anthony’s songwriting holds the unique quality of posing life’s big questions—without succumbing to cynicism or pretension.
In this album, Anthony draws heavily on themes of identity, purpose, and the search for meaning, all while embracing a more cinematic approach to production. With an evident shift toward orchestral textures, he layers strings, woodwinds, and gentle horns to create moments that feel otherworldly yet intensely personal. As Tyler has described, he leaned into these arrangements to evoke “a mythological, fantastical way,” offering listeners a meditative, almost dreamlike experience.
I had the opportunity to interview Anthony in mid-summer 2024, right around the time of the album release. The conversation delicately uncovered the layers of Anthony’s life, especially focusing on his recent adventurous move to Mexico City from Knoxville, Tennessee, as well as his evolving music career and latest album.
Anthony opens up about his big life change, saying, "I just moved to Mexico City from Knoxville, Tennessee, about four months ago. So that's like the newest character in my life and a whole wild adventure that I'm on." This move has significantly impacted his perspective, both personally and professionally, leading him to be part of a new recording studio and community space known as Casa de Copas
.Casa de Copas is more than just a recording studio for Anthony; it’s a hub for creativity and collaboration. Describing the vision behind it, he shares, "The spirit is really kind of to build an artistic, creative community, the kind of one we had always wanted." Located in a cool, three-story building that once housed an old Sony studio, Casa de Copas stands as a testament to Anthony’s dedication to fostering a supportive space for artists.
The episode also sheds light on Anthony’s new album, “Anything,” a body of work that spans a range of sonic textures and explores deep, existential themes. The album, which he describes as having "a lot of layers and most of these songs," is intended to provide listeners with an immersive experience. Anthony reflects, "A lot of the themes in the album revolve around meaning-making, like, what does it look like? What matters to us? Who are we? What is our future?"
Sound and Influences
Drawing comparisons to Sufjan Stevens, Midlake, and early Bon Iver, Anything explores a broad sonic palette, blending folk-driven lyricism with atmospheric and experimental sounds. Yet, this isn’t an album tethered to its influences. Tyler charts his own course, injecting fresh vitality into familiar tones.
From the opening track Seven Wonders, listeners are greeted with swelling instrumentation and poetic imagery—“Everything we know melts away, there is / Nothing left but a face without a frame”. It’s a line that encapsulates the album’s recurring theme of impermanence and transformation.
The track Boys stands out as a raw meditation on inherited burdens and cyclical struggles. “Where do we put all the boys who had mothers / Who drank themselves silly waiting for husbands to come home with money” paints a stark picture of intergenerational pain. Anthony’s voice carries both weariness and compassion, refusing to assign easy blame while acknowledging a broken system. It’sa song that investigates the complexities of human emotions and relationships. In a poignant reflection, Anthony reflected to me, "Isn't it funny who we blame?" This line encapsulates the essence of Anthony's storytelling—highlighting the intricacies of life's tough questions.
Midway through, the hypnotic Chasing the Feeling builds on fractured repetition—“Chasing the feeling, chasing the feeling”—a cry familiar to anyone who has tried to relive a moment or outrun their own mistakes. The song’s stripped-down verses contrast its sonic peaks, mirroring the album’s oscillation between chaos and calm.
Lyrical Themes
Lyrically, Anything is existential but hopeful. Tyler explores meaning-making in an uncertain world, asking, “What matters to us? Who are we? What is our future?”. Rather than offering answers, he opens an invitation for reflection. Tracks like Only You delve into fragile relationships, using sparse, repeating lyrics to convey the unspeakable weight of love—“Only you can do / Only you can do it”.
The album’s strength lies in its willingness to sit with discomfort. On City in the Sky, Tyler sings of a “never-ending dream” hidden “in a golden cloud,” hinting at fleeting utopias amid life’s turbulence. It’s this balance of longing and acceptance that grounds the album.
Another notable song, "Unfaithful," delves into the murky waters of desire and consequence. Anthony expands on the theme, noting, "Often the stories we hear about desire or people wanting stuff, it always ends in the person getting the thing that they want." Through this song, he examines how desires shape our realities in both subtle and profound ways.
Production and Performance
Anthony’s voice—a warm, steady tenor—anchors the album, providing an emotional throughline amid the ambitious production. Songs like Ride and Horizons take advantage of the album’s sonic range, moving from delicate whispers to swells of sound that feel like an orchestra in full bloom.
The choice to experiment with orchestral elements and “big sonic ranges” signals a new confidence in Anthony’s artistry. Tracks like Drifting and Pink Sky benefit from this expansiveness, elevating contemplative lyrics into moments of soaring catharsis.
It's a sign of a maturing artist when they show enough confidence in themselves and in their art work that they move out of their comfort zone. Cereus Bright built an initial loyal following around a folk-rock sound mirrioring Mumford & Sons and The Lumineers, which propelled songs like "Stella," to many listeners' playlists. Let's hope those early followers understand, respect, and dig this pivot.
Final Thoughts
Anything is a journey through grief, connection, and the unrelenting pull of time. While its lyrics wrestle with existential uncertainty, Tyler Anthony ultimately steers the listener toward hope rather than despair. It’s an album best experienced in its entirety, a collection of songs that reveal new layers with every listen.
For fans of thoughtful folk and cinematic indie music, Anything cements Cereus Bright as a singular voice—a storyteller unafraid to dive into life’s murky questions while crafting beauty from the unknown.
— Jason English
