Disco de Bright Eyes: “Letting Off the Happiness [Japan]”

i've recently become a bright eyes fan in the past few months. since then i've managed to snag lifted, fever and mirrors, and lettings off the happiness. it took a bit to grow on me, but, they are all flawless. conor has the ability to speak to many in a manner that few others do; its almost disconcerting. the songs are painstakingly beautiful, yet honest. last saturday i got to see bright eyes play at the howlin' wolf in new orleans, and it was amazing! pick up one of these albums or stop by a show, it will be worth the time and money invested.

This is by far one of the best CD's ever composed by Bright Eyes. One of the greatest things about this album is that Conor Oberst sings all of his songs with such emotion that you can actually feel what he's singing and his lyrics are poetic enough so send chills down your spine. I personally related to "If Winter Ends" which is track one on the CD and I beleive that everybody has felt that way at one point or another. "Letting off the Happiness" also has a healthy mix of songs you can lay back and relax to(like "Sail Away", "If winter ends", "Contrast and Compare"), and songs that are more upbeat like "the city has sex" and "pull my hair". The entire CD has a mellow, yet very awake indie/folk vibe to it. I highly recomend it.

After listening to various lo-fi and even studio "indie/alternative" music, I have come to a realization: "Letting Off The Happiness" kicks all that other music's ass. Seriously though, starting with "If Winter Ends", the cd immediately draws you in. And if it doesn't, jump off a bridge. Through the chaotic beginning of the song, you have to listen to what emerges from it. Pure music, in its rawest form. Period. Moving through the cd, you hear a beautiful duet in "Contrast and Compare," leaving goosebumps all over your body. The twang of the guitars and the way the music sways with their voices is entrancing. Further threw this enlightening experience you hear "Touch." The compassionate voice and hypnotic keyboards work up to a shocking and emotional climax of Conor Oberst's signature wailing. I think this cd is more of a true Conor because later albums chill out and do not pull you along on an emotional roller-coaster (sorry for being trite...). "Pull My Hair" is another duet, this time more dynamic and layered instrumentally. Equally satisfying if not better than "Contrast and Compare." After winding through this wonderful cd, you reach a landmark in music history. "A Poetic Retelling Of An Unfortunate Seduction" plays. From its humble moaning to its sorrowful screaming, the song is unbelievable. There is a line that reads "And you wonder if you are alive" in the song. If you haven't heard this song or bought this cd, keep wondering....

Yes, in my opinion this is Conor's best release. He was pretty young when recording it, but i find every single song on it to be very enjoyable, and worth listening to. Very lo-fi but the lo-finess is what makes it so great.

It is the imperfections on this album which just in turn make it perfect.

Conor Oberst. Remember the name. It will be a very big name in the indie rock world very soon, and the mainstream may not be far behind. There is simply no way that this can go unheard for long. This guy is a HUGE talent. The deep sadness and lyrical genius recalls The Mountain Goats, Elliot Smith, and Neutral Milk Hotel, but he has a sound that is all his own. I can't really come up with any fancy words to describe the wonder of this album. Instead, I'll give you this, "And I've cried, and you'd think I'd be better for it, but the sadness just sleeps in your spine for the rest of your life" (from The City Has Sex). If you have any interest in art, passion, or real human emotion, be good to yourself and buy this album. If you don't care about these things, you have my sympathy.