Bright Eyes - Conor Oberst

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kappster
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Bright Eyes - Conor Oberst

Post by kappster » Jan 29th 2005, 4:09 am

I recently got a chance to fly to Vegas to visit my sister and happened to buy 3 magazines to read on the flight. All three had mention of this particular musician and I couldn't believe the way the critics were stroking this guy. The guy is Conor Oberst and basically he is a singer/songwriter who records with whatever musicians he can find at the time and performs under the name Bright Eyes. He is a 24 year-old from Omaha Nebraska and has evidently been recording since he was like 14. Nebraska is my home state and I had never heard of him. The critics hail him as the second coming of Bob Dylan and hail his lyrics as poetry better than the poets of the day.

The reason he was getting so much press was because he was releasing two albums on tuesday Jan 25. I was intrigued and curious about the home-state hero and decided to buy one of his older albums....Lifted or The Story is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground. I was hooked. The album is a bit rough, but it was like no other artist recording these days. It is very fresh and uninfluenced by the big record labels. His sound is hard to discribe but if pressed, it is alternative, folk rockish. His lyrics really are pretty amazing. Honest and raw and better than any of the pop crap playing on the radios these days.

I wanted more and ordered his two new albums off of Amazon. Got them today and have listened to them for about 10 hours straight. They are both good, but the better of the two is I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning. The other is Digital Ash in a Digital Urn. Amazon had free Mp3 downloads of a couple songs from each album. One of my favorites is 'Lua' and is pretty representative of his style. Check it out and let me know what you think.

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fnordboy
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Post by fnordboy » Jan 29th 2005, 9:34 pm

I'm a long time Bright Eye's fan, he does amazing work. I have the majority of his releases, I still need to pick up the latest two, but I am not that interested in them. While I don't mind some alt country bands like the Geraldine Fibbers, his new album seems to be a little too country oriented for me. And electronic albums are easy to make, but not easy to make them sound good...so I am wary of these albums.

My favorite album of his has to be Fevers & Mirrors, it has probably my favorite Bright Eyes songs on it. I highly recommend you check that album out.

If you want to hear some harder work by Conor Oberst check out Desaparecidos, it is a side project of his. Very, very good stuff.

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grim4746
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Post by grim4746 » Jan 30th 2005, 2:20 am

Fnordboy suggested Bright Eyes to me a little over a year ago. I picked up Fevers and Mirrors shortly after, I also reccomend you check that one out. I love the album but haven't bought any of his other music. The countryish one sounds interesting though. I think I'll put on some Bright eyes right now.

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fnordboy
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Post by fnordboy » Feb 9th 2005, 3:01 pm

I take it back, I picked up both of his new albums and I like them both. Digital Ash... is better than I expected. It doesn't seem that different to me than his other albums really. And "I'm Wide Awake.." (which I am listening to right now) is very good as well...I think "First Day of My Life" is one of the best Bright Eye's songs yet...

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Post by SanDeE* » May 26th 2005, 5:06 pm

I bought "I'm Wide Awake..." a few weeks ago and I really like all of it except for the last song Road to Joy (I think that's what it's called). In my opinion using a classical symphony as your main riff just never never never works. But the rest of the album is awesome, especially First Day of my Life. I'd like to check out "Digital Ash" too.
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Jody Barsch*
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Post by Jody Barsch* » Jul 3rd 2005, 4:19 am

Okay, I keep coming across this name, and since I am currently on a shamefully expensive new music acquisition rampage, I thought I'd pick up a Bright Eyes album. And since so many people on this site who's opinions I value listen to him, I thought I'd ask you all -- what's the best album to start off with? From what I gather it might be "I'm Wide Awake" or "Fevers and Mirrors", but I wanted to check. Thanks!
Sometimes I write a little MSCL fanfiction: https://www.fanfiction.net/u/1039807/Jody-Barsch
Also, after multiple V. Mars reiterations, and finally a Deadwood movie, still wishing for some continuation of The Riches !

kappster
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Post by kappster » Jul 3rd 2005, 2:22 pm

I think 'Wide Awake' would be the best to start with. I have never listened to Fevers & Mirrors so I can't speak for it. I like Digital Ash in a Digital Urn, but it is a little more "experimental". There are several tracks on 'Lifted, or the story is in the soil, keep your ear to the ground' that I really like, but there are several that are very rough sounding (as if they were recorded in someone's basement). I listen to 'Wide Awake' and 'Lifted' regularly on my Ipod and 'Digital Ash' sometimes.

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