Bright Eyes

I've been reading that Conor Oberst is the second coming of Bob Dylan for over five years.  We've bought three Bright Eyes discs in the past couple years; letting off the Happiness, Fevers and Mirrors, and Lifted ...

And yet we've never got into Bright Eyes.

His earnest, emotional delivery was too harsh for my ears. Just when I was enjoying the music, he'd start talking or screaming, and it would ruin the experience for me.

And then there's the fact that he just can't stop writing and putting out music. There are so many songs and so many records.  I always thought Conor needed an editor to package him better.

Well Conor's finally put out a disc that we really like. 

It's called I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning.

It has Jesse Harris on guitar and Emilylou Harris on backing vocals and its consistently good from start to finish.

In typical Bright Eyes fashion, the record starts out with a shocking story about a plane crash, but it quickly gets going with a great folk song called At The Bottom of Everything.

The next song, called We Are Nowhere And It's Now is the best song Conor Oberst has written to date.

The rest of the record is just as strong.  So if you, like me, have been looking to join the Conor Oberst train, this is the record to do it with.

UPDATE: Ryan commented that he likes the song Lua better than the ones I mentioned.  After a couple more listens, I think he may be right.  It's a great song.  I also really like why Conor does with Ode to Joy (which he calls Road to Joy).

Comments

[Ryan]

I’m a big Bright Eyes fan, and you’re dead on about the album. I think that Lua is a better song than We Are Nowhere And It's Now, but that’s just my opinion. Sufjan Stevens’ Seven Swans is a more complete album than I’m wide awake, check it out if you haven’t already:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0001F7U9S/qid=1107619294/sr=8-2/ref=pd_csp_2/102-6693853-1960960?v=glance&s=music&n=507846

[Lisa]

how can i contact bright eyes or conor oberst, an emial address or something? i can;t wait unitl they come to brisbane

[mitch]

i happen to think that Conor is not only the best song writer of our generation, but one of the best ever, that may be a lofty claim. granted the voice sounds terrible at times but i think his voice makes the presentation of the brutally honest music so amazing. my favorite album is "Fevers and Mirrors." im wide awake its morning is a great album as well, best song so far...tough one either "something vague," or "padriac my prince."

[Katie]

Conor is one of the best musicians of our time. He uses moody, brooding lyrics mixed with an emotional heartfelt voice to make the best songs ever recorded.

[Allehandro]

you guys would almost make me sick if you didnt have somewhat of good music sense. Why do you sit and type up meaningless rantings about an admired, whom doesnt know who you are and prolly cares less (atleas for this situation I'm thinkin')? Why dont you express yourself and use the inspiration from his music to your advantage in your own life?

[Jack]

Are you suggesting, Allehandro, that nobody ever voice their appreciation for anything ever again? If you're criticising people for telling each other what they love about something then you have to be a hypocrit, unless you live your life in absolute silence.

[Chris]

Been a fan of Bright Eyes for a little bit myself. Conor is simply amazing. I just recently picked up Desaparecidos - Read Music. Speak Spanish. and I'm really digging it more than Bright Eyes! Anyone know more of Desaparecidos? saddlecreek has very little on them. I'd love to know if they're planning on coming out with a new album. Email me please if you come across this and have any info, thanks :]

[semaj]

I think the best song by far is First Day of My Life...

thanks Conor, you'll never know how much..

[semaj]

I think the best song by far is First Day of My Life...

thanks Conor, you'll never know how much..

[joel]

Love him or hate him nothing in the middle. i love conor. all his musice is pure find anyone in this world that could give there soul to you every song like conor

[alex]

wow, i am really impressed. i like this blog because it's not like the other ones i've come across where everyone is bashing conor. as i said earlier, i'm impressed. i'll be coming back to this blog in the near future.

[alex]

wow, i just read jack's comment responding to allehandro's comment and i agree with jack. finally someone can make a good point... jack you owned that allehandro fag !

[alex]

haha, one more thing. allehandro, you're just some groupie that conor never called back! and now you're jealous cuz he's with maria taylor now istead of you!!!! owned!

[softwares]

softwares - spybot - spyware - storia - svcd - tablatura - tablature - tabulati - tarocchi - tarocco - tatuaggi - tatuaggio -

[Thaynes]

Mmm. Okay I'm very keen on "I'm wide awake it's morning" but the BEST Conor's album Is "LIFTED (The Story is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground)".
Give it a try you won't be disapointed, this album is just more complicated and need time to be understood.
But you will listen to LIFTED 10 years latter believe me.

[kate the great]

conor is perhaps one of the most brilliant lyricists of all time and I'm not saying it here and now to praise him or to rant meaninglessly to people i don't know, but because i have been brooding on this realization for some time now and need to admit to myself through all of you.
i have been exposed to great music all my life and although i am not very old (only 20) i have grow up listening to legends that people my age never really learn to appreciate. i've been told that i have such an ecclectic taste, but in the few years that i have been listening to conor's words, all of that seems to have melted away. now, i only ever want to put on a bright eyes cd and mull over each syllable and how interesting it is that this artist has found a way to project such striking words in a way that makes them more of the melody than the instrument ever could.
what makes me laugh, though, is that i respect this musician so much, but everytime my friends ask me what bright eyes is like, i insist that they would hate the music and tell them not to try.
i suppose i am being selfish. we all just want our epiphanies to stay our own, don't we...