The People's Key

Conor Oberst and the band has found within themselves a new energy, a new arrangement of thought, peppered with the Rastafari Movement and an awareness of I and I and the One Love shared by and within us all (that is,the power is within us all to awaken and be on a positive path to an enlightened future). This album is a rich, balanced culmination of Conor's musical journeys, and there are audible hints indicating inspiration from Smashing Pumpkins and Weezer's "Pinkerton," from 80's synthesizer energy to the late rock aesthetics. This is a solid album, bridging the band's soul-searching double release in '05 and the spiritual journey of Cassadaga from '07 into this new message of enlightenment and universal truths.

I don't intend for this to appear as psychobabble. This is just the view from the air with this CD as my rocket.

I like this better than Conor Oberst's Mystic Valley Band, by far. I like it better than Conor's solo albums (I think) but I do not like it better than any other Bright Eyes albums, though I think the songs are good, some are even very good. However, the weird Gary Busey profit dude interrupting every so often is distracting. I really wish they had scratched that idea. He isn't enlightening or clever and it really makes listening to the album kind of difficult.

This record can be disappointing depending on how you look at it.

This is the 7th and rumored to be final Bright Eyes album. If you look at it from that perspective, disappointment will most likely be your initial reaction because a folk record along the lines of Lifted.. or Wide Awake would be a more fitting farewell.

Yet if you look at it as another Bright Eyes record it's actually impressive. Listening to it I get the vibe that this is everything Digital Ash was supposed to be. The record is rock influenced with the slight hints of electronic synths. It sounds full, layered and is much more consistent than Cassadaga. The spoken word segments through out the album can get kind of annoying, but the don't really deter from the music. Lyrically angry Conor is pretty much a thing of the past. The lyrics and overall tone of his voice is more positive.

The packaging for this record is nice, not quite as nice as Cassadaga's, but nice nonetheless. The outer jacket is a gatefold with holographic details on both the outside and the inner side where the lyrics are printed. The record is heavy 180g and comes in a standard plastic sleeve, but the actual record inner sleeve is enclosed as well. Saddle Creek tossed in a copy of the cd instead of the traditional download code which makes the vinyl package a great value.

Overall this is a great record. If your new to Bright Eyes though start with Fevers and Mirrors than work your way through Lifted.. and Wide Awake... and listen to a young Conor in his absolute prime and see why he's one of the best writers of our young generation.