Almost 30 years into their career as a band, the Conor Oberst-helmed Bright Eyes has managed to whittle out their sub-genre in indie rock. Lyrically mixing pop cultural touchstones with esoteric historical references sung over a musical soundtrack that combines rock and pop with folk and even jazz at times, the band has created a uniquely original sound that is nearly impossible to replicate without being called out as simply a Bright Eyes clone.
So even though their latest, Five Dice, All Threes, is a more experimental record for the band, it is still a Bright Eyes record. Like 2020’s Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was, they experiment with more soundscapes, splicing in odd dialogue and movie lines into songs, and flirt with more musical genres, like the jazz piano on “All Threes,” as well as mix in more backing vocals (Cat Powers on this one) to contrast against Oberst. Along with Cat Power, the band is joined by The National’s Matt Berninger on “The Time I Have Left” and Alex Levine from The So So Glos on the almost triumphant “Rainbow Overpass.”
“Bells and Whistles,” the first proper song after the nearly two-minute-long dialogue intro “Five Dice,” the band kicks into their familiar catchy but quirky sound. “El Capitan,” with a beat as steady as a Johnny Cash train song, is sublime –Oberst at his best, singing seemingly cryptic and yet easy to understand, complete with mariachi horns. “Bas Jan Ader,” the title referencing a 20th-century Dutch performance artist (there’s the esoteric reference), is a bittersweet look back on a bad memory that starts to lose its power over time. That song, in particular, seems to define the record, one that seems personal and emotional without being bitter or resentful, almost sanguine despite it all.
Five Dice, All Threes was self-produced, bringing Oberst’s career almost full circle, as his bedroom tapes were his introduction to the world. The band’s sound has evolved steadily since Letting Off the Happiness, but they have managed to hold onto everything that made the band stand out decades ago—emotionally smart songs delivered with earnest charm.
