Bright Eyes Album: “Digital Ash in a Digital Urn”

Conor Oberst, better known as Bright Eyes, has proven himself both prolific and ambitious with his recent release of two simultaneous albums. While "I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning" takes the safer straight-up folkie route, "Digital Ash In a Digital Urn" is by far a more unique listen for its experimental, frothy production that takes Oberst's dependably simple, stream-of-conscious lyrics for a different kind of ride than lo-fi fare can do.

After the lyrically terse opening with the squeaky "Time Code" comes "Gold Mine Gutted," a bittersweet, coming of age tale with an entrancing melody that will stay sticky on the listener's brain. The urgent "Take It Easy (Love Nothing)" makes an instrument out of Oberst's voice with sharp vocal overdubbing, recounting a defunct relationship with a much older woman.

"`Don't take it so bad, it's nothing you did/It's just once something dies/You can't make it live/You're a beautiful boy/You're a sweet little kid/But I am a woman.'"

The singer/songwriter convincingly plays the role of Satan in "Devil In the Details," while later celebrating domesticity in "I Believe In Symmetry."

"Oh I want to learn such simple things/No politics, no history/Till what I want and what I need/Can finally be the same."

Dark humor also occupies the disc on the tongue-in-cheek "Light Pollution," which pokes fun at the American economy, while "Hit the Switch" explores what happens when an individual can take no more and completely shuts themselves off from the world.

Furthermore, Oberst waxes romantic on "Ship In a Bottle," complete with baby cries and romantic clichés, as well as with "Theme to Piñata," which has some of the most mushy words ever set to music.

"Well I wish I had a parachute/Cause I'm falling mad for you/I can see the ground approaching now/But I'm not sure what to do/I feel like the piñata/Once you take a swing at me/If you could just crack the shell open/I think inside you would find something sweet."

While it is not succeeding as well commercially as "I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning," "Digital Ash In a Digital Urn" is in fact a better record with superior stories and crisper lyrics that, while in need of a few initial listens to become comfortable to the ears, eventually settles in. Springsteen and Dylan comparisons may be premature, but it is plain to see that Oberst is a force to reckon with who is sure to continue to pull in listeners with his talent, wit and humanity.

With both albums being released at the exact same time, Digital Ash may at times seem like the "other Bright Eyes CD." And to tell you the truth I felt the very same when it was released. Wide Awake, It's Morning on the surface is a much better listen and more enjoyable. But the themes in "Poison Oak" and "Road to Joy" are both quickly worn out.

"Arc of Time (Time Code)" is probably the best Bright Eyes song in my opinion. It's got everything: fascination with death, fear of religion, and the pondering of the big question. That's pretty much everything Bright Eyes is about. Throw in a line about "blonde hair girls and whisky slurs" and I would dare say it's every theme Connor Oberst has tried to cover. I've seen the song live twice and get more amazed every time.

But like I said, the goods of this album are not easily found. Digital Ash is an album that gets better with each listen. Bright Eyes fans know this is how it happens with many albums. I also bought Lifted... and Fevers and Mirrors at the same time. Lifted... of course became my favorite album in the world. But as I listened to them both over and over, I found that Fevers and Mirrors was a better album, with better music, lyrics, and songs. And I still believe that to this day. Some things in music have to sit inside you for a while before they can be fully appreciated. This album is included there. It is definitely worth buying whether you like indie music or any kind of alternative radio.

There are generally three kinds of people who had fits over this album:

First, there are those who don't care for Bright Eyes at all. That's totally understandable, we all have our different tastes. The only ones among them I have a problem with are those who like to criticize him for the emotions expressed in his music. Some people may consider anyone who expresses excessive sadness, constant longing, and (gasp) self pity to be a "total poser", but guess what, those are actually emotions that people have. If you want to say that just because you can't relate to something means it isn't art, then you have no concept of what art is. The meaning behind the whole cubism thing went right over my head, but I would be ignorant if I thought that decreased its value as art to anyone else.

Secondly, there are those who are into Bright Eyes, but either don't like the new turn he's taken with this album, or just don't like the genre it resembles at all. Again, totally understandable, but before you have a cow over the departure from his usual style, perhaps you should look at the cd sitting next to it on the shelf. It's called, "I'm Wide Awake It's Morning", and I think you might be happier with it. You see, not only did he experiment with something different, but he was thoughtful enough not to forget all of us who have been craving a good old folk song.

Lastly, there are the "indie rock" snobs who are far to good to listen to anything that could pass for "mainstream", or anything that sounds remotely like what the kid who sits next to them in calculus has in his cd player. To them I say, you're right. This album is beneath you. You should return to your I-pod stuffed with Death Cab for Cutie and Franz Ferdinand because no one listens to them except for you and the entire cast of The OC.

Personally, I like this album a lot. Perhaps not as much as "I'm Wide Awake", but I'd give it about a 4. If you're looking for something like "Lifted or The Story's in the Soil", you may be disappointed. However, if you can let go of the preconception that Coner Oberst is, "like, the greatest songwriter in the history of the world, ever", then you just might be able to see it for what it is- still much better than most of the crap that's out there today. Yes, it's different, but change isn't always bad. You should at least listen to "Down in a Rabbit Hole", and "Take it Easy (Love Nothing)" before taking what the critics say too seriously.

This album in it's spectacular glory is by far the greatest Bright Eyes record i have ever heard. I can see why, for some people, this record may come across as abnormal and not meeting the par of his older work or even the acclaimed oposite, "I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning" Which was released at the same time. But I would beg people to give it some time and actualy listen to it before closing your mind to this clearly beutiful, expirimental record. It is truly best described as a seemingly endless, heavenly, beutiful marathon of electronic-emo bliss. These songs are crafted and structured so timingly and creative, and the melodies never touched or thought of by anyone before. Connor's witty, deep and slighty depressing lyrics meld togather perfectly with the brilliantly produced, processed sound that makes up the record. I wish more people shared the same opinion as me, but i can only state what i think and nothing else. I ask you to look at these songs artisticly and creativly because they are indeed genious. My favorate track would have to be "Hit The Switch" because the song craft and lyrics are beutiful and heartfelt. He really makes you feel his pain as he expresses his anxiety riddled expiriences and drinking problems all set to a killer wave of powerful drums, electric pianos, creative bass riffs and ever changing perfectly flawed guitar. Other outstanding songs on this record are "Ship in a Bottle" and "Devil in the Details". Both containing the witty brilliant lyrics we expect from this amazing songwriter. So, in the end, i advise people who cant stand the extra noise such as static, "beeps" and old keyboard synth sounds to listen to the true beuty behind this record and feel his beutiful natural pain he put into this amazingly splended masterpiece. Great job Conner. It deserves more than 5 stars.

This is my first ever review - and I agree with Edward's assessment above but not Hillary's - I know that some have given this album a negative review - and I understand the mentality (I will explain later) - this album is not what Hillary says ("forgettable") - rather, like Edward says, I'm having trouble getting this album out of my CD player - I believe that people like Hillary, who so very well know the artists - have expectations - I don't - I didn't know this band until I heard Take It Easy on Indie FM 103.1 in L.A. (great station, by the way) - this is a good album - no, it's not Led Zeppelin 1 the first time you heard it - or U2's Boy in the mid-80's - or Maroon 5 or Modest Mouse or Muse or the Killers this year - or whoever you're comparing to - but it's nice on its own - nice to have on if you're not worried about impressing your friends about what you're playing in their presence (or is it? I guess it depends on what your friends are like) - give it a listen - or, to appreciate it, a listen or two or three - it's nice to listen to - "It's clear and blue as far as I can see" - respectfully submitted... G -