Bright Eyes
Cassadaga
Saddle Creek (2007)
In what's seemingly an attempt to depart from the boy wonder tagline which has chased him his entire career, Conor Oberst takes on a more mature tone with Cassadaga, the latest of his half a dozen plus releases. This album sees Bright Eyes, now consisting of the aforementioned Oberst, Nate Walcott and Mike Mogis, devoid of the introspective, angst ridden, lyricism they're closely associated with, but rather taking the role of story telling to new levels; dealing with motifs of a much broader landscape than previous efforts. Proclaimed as the "America album" in press, Cassadaga's theme/production lends itself not only to a change in tone, but also in sound. This is the tightest Bright Eyes has ever come across, creating a feel closer to something of their early alt country influences than the indie fused folk they helped to popularize. Unfortunately, with respect to the lofty ambition of coming of age, the album falls short for achieving what it was trying to do: in successfully growing to a more sophisticated style, Cassadaga loses the slurred authenticity which makes Bright Eyes, and well notable as a definitive growth, the effort comes across as at best copasetic and at worst dull. "Kill … Read more
The Chinese Stars
Listen to Your Left Brain
Three One G (2007)
This is the catchiest Three One G release I have ever heard. Coming from a label that normally specializes in … Read more
The Chinese Stars
Listen to Your Left Brain
Three One G (2007)
Let's get the ex-members of comparisons out of the way: I loved Arab on Radar. Their assembly line anti-anthems stimulated … Read more
