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New Sounds: Dia Frampton comes out of the dark on ‘Bruises’

“Please don’t forget me/I’m going away,” Dia Frampton cooes in her sugary voice on Meg & Dia’s 2009 tune “Going Away.” At the time, the poppy-emo-tinged tune was an ode to a post-breakup escape plan, but in 2017, the lyrics carry far more weight.

Now (amicably) split from her sister and co-bandmate Meg, Dia Frampton has “gone away” and shaped her own tunes via her second solo album, Bruises. The former contestant on The Voice delivers the new material to Brighton Music Hall in Allston tonight (July 11).

“I never saw myself going solo, but if there’s anything I’ve learned over the past few years, it’s that life will always keep you on your toes,” Frampton exlplains. “Meg & Dia was a big part of my life though and definitely helped me spread my wings. After The Voice, I already knew about touring and management and publishing and labels, etc. because of my (10 years plus) time on the road, and from being on various labels before.”

After taking her half of Meg and Dia in the split, Frampton went on to form ARCHIS, working in collaboration with composer Joseph Trapanese, and now her own self-titled project. From working with Trapanese, the singer gleaned her own songwriting accolades, including a grandiose orchestral effort on “White Dress,” which features string arrangements recorded via skype in Budapest.

“We did have to record super early in the morning, around 4 a.m. because of the time difference though, so I was pretty out of it,” Frampton says. “Dan Heath captained the ship. He is such a talent and writes such beautiful arrangements. To be frank, we had to record in Budapest because it was more financially realistic for us at the time. That being said, the musicians that played on the record were absolutely wonderful. It’s amazing how we can send sheet music half way across the world, and 10 minutes later they’re playing a song we wrote together in Venice, California.”  

Bruises fluctuates from flowy singer/songwriter (“Dead Man,” “Gold and Silver”) to icy pop (“Crave,” “Lights”), at times jagged as a dagger but still saccharine with Frampton’s uber-high vocals lacing every track. The lasting impression of the album, however, is that of loss, one that the singer echoes in bother her lyrics (“We’re in the golden years/Don’t tell me what the damage is”) to the title of the album.

But it’s that very same theme that Frampton draws solace and strength from.

“My friend picked the name actually,” she adds. “I was originally going to call the album ‘Blue,’ since it was a reflection of my last record, ‘Red,’ but a friend came up with ‘Bruises’ and I just loved it. It’s all about healing, and hope, and coming out of the dark sides of yourself a little torn up but still going steady.”

DIA FRAMPTON + CASTRO + JESSE RUBEN :: Tuesday, July 11 at Brighton Music Hall, 158 Brighton Ave. in Allston, MA :: 7 p.m., all ages, $20 :: Advance tickets :: Facebook event page