Conor Oberst has enjoyed a growing level of fame in recent years, and indeed his previous Bright Eyes album, 2007’s Cassadaga, was a top five hit Stateside. Although a likeable enough character and a talented songwriter, I have never been tremendously excited by Oberst’s brand of rootsy indie rock. Still, the presence this time of collaborators from such bands as excellent LA art-rockers Autolux and dance-punk outfit The Faint suggested that he was going to attempt a more sonically challenging album.
Unfortunately, it hasn’t turned out that way. Oberst has certainly added a few electro effects here and there, but really at the core of the album are still the same old by-the-book indie tunes. At times, Bright Eyes sound a little like Arcade Fire, although they conspicuously lack the kinetic power that characterises the best output of Win and co. Oberst’s whiney vocals can also grate, and indeed in some quarters this record has even attracted the dreaded tag “emo”, which is always a worrying sign.
To be fair, Oberst does have a flair for melody and songcraft and long-term fans are unlikely to be disappointed by this suite of unashamedly emotional and spiritual tunes (Rastafarianism is apparently one of the album’s themes). However, I remain decidedly unconverted.