BRIGHT EYES

The People's Key

2011-02-21

Bright Eyes is the brainchild of Conor Oberst, who along with Mike Mogis and Nathaniel Walcott, are the central members of the band. It's the seventh go-round for this ensemble, despite Oberst's regular threats to "kill off" this band. "The People's Key" is a quasi-concept album, with Oberst seeking ultimate meaning in the outer reaches of the universe, Rastafarianism, various philosophies and a smattering of other questings. While that all might sound off-putting, anyone who knows a Bright Eyes record will tell you that somehow, he makes this all listenable and (mostly) interesting -- both as a whole and within the individual songs. The opener, "Firewall," begins with the rambling musings of an extra-terrestrial believer for the first two minutes and then segues into the song itself. "Jejune Stars," "Haile Selaisse," "Triple Spiral" and "Beginner's Mind" are the most up-tempo of the bunch, but every song delves into the Big Questions and the closer, "One for You, One for Me" is a fitting musical ending (and the very end brings back the guy in the opening number to chat away to the fade). It's all worth the trip. 02/11 MJVD R-Indie [FCC note on cut #2 -- "piss and vinegar"]

Quick Links:

More reviews tagged #Rock

  • reviewed 01/2007

    THE POSTMARKS
    The Postmarks

  • reviewed 10/2007

    THE NAYSAYERS
    Come Into Focus

  • reviewed 10/2014

    AMBER LYNN NICOL
    SEVEN

  • reviewed 03/2013

    EL SPORTIVO AND THE BLOOZ
    Nights and Weekends

  • reviewed 12/2011

    ZACH DEPUTY
    Another Day

  • reviewed 10/2010

    FISTFUL OF MERCY
    Fistful of Mercy

Compiled by the WYCE Journalism Club

The opinions expressed in these reviews are those of the individual volunteers that submitted the article and do not necessarily reflect the views of WYCE or GRCMC; nor its staff, donors, or affiliates.