Nine years ago, Bright Eyes released The People’s Key which was supposedly the group’s very last LP. Bright Eyes’ lyricist and vocalist, Conor Oberst said in interviews that there would be no more music under the Bright Eyes moniker. Nine years later the group has double-backed on those statements, with their highly anticipated tenth studio album, Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was.
Bright Eyes is comprised of Oberst, multi-instrumentalist Nate Walcott and producer Mike Mogis. During the group’s hiatus, Oberst remained a prominent indie figurehead releasing music under the name Better Oblivion Community Center alongside Phoebe Bridgers. The two maintained the same relatable and morose lyrical strain that Bright Eyes built its career upon. Down in the Weeds is no different, Oberst once again employs fantastic lyrical talent as his voice juxtaposes with sonic experimentation carving out space for a veteran group that knows what they’re good at but doesn’t shy from modernity.
“Pan and Broom” is a short pop song that quietly builds while Oberst sings confidently. “Out of the blue/Saw you fall down the stairs/It was me pushing you” Oberst croons over what might be the same beat that Canadian superstar Drake used in 2015’s smash hit “Hotline Bling”. “Pan and Broom” is a downtempo example of Bright Eyes keeping their finger on the pulse of culture without sacrificing any lyrical sensibilities. The song never abandons the click-clacking “Hotline Bling” beat even as new instrumentation sneaks in, the song gradually picks up steam finally culminating in a barrage of synthesizers, drum machines, and lush harmony. Oberst sings undisturbed and confidently as the brutal world unfolds before him, “That isn’t what I heard/This world went down in flames and manmade caves”.
“One and Done” is a Lynchian depiction of a wedding. Oberst’s voice is smokey and it eerily coasts sometimes appearing as the focal point and then promptly getting overshadowed by slick instrumentation. Oberst works well with the grandiose string section and a funky bassline that could have been performed by Thundercat. Another example of Bright Eyes recognizing the changing music world and responding in a way that only they know how.
Bright Eyes masterfully uses maturity and excitement to build their tenth studio album. Oberst writes and sings with conviction as he details love and loss. Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was is very complicated lyrically and also very fresh. The trio championed the moody music that college English students sat in their dorms and cried too, and Bright Eyes doesn’t leave that signature out, but they doctor up the sonics resulting in a dense return from a long hiatus. Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was is an lp that shows a group who has been down in the weeds, laying low and pondering— just waiting for their chance to make a triumphant return.
One Response
It’s unbelievable what Conor & Co. have created. Cheers.