If you have been to the newsstand as of late to buy your favorite music magazine, chances are you have seen Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst on the cover of several magazines. This troubadour has won the praise of the music press with what seems like relative ease. For once, the music press are giving acclaim to a praiseworthy artist.
On Jan. 25, Bright Eyes released two albums simultaneously: I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning and Digital Ash in a Digital Urn. Each LP dabbles into a different genre than the other, but both are overflowing with heartfelt, inspired, poetic lyrics.
I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning, starts off with a monologue about an ill-fated airplane excursion, whose last moments are captured in a spry country song. The country-ish sound is a theme throughout the album. The superb production adds to the country-ish theme by making use of the pedal steel and doleful brass as well as dazzling harmonies provided by country music legend Emmylou Harris on three tracks.
From beginning to end, Oberst has disregarded standard song structure and made I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning his most commercial album to date in the process.
Oberst has a flair for writing intimate clever songs, which has earned him the tag “the next Dylan” by many in the music press. I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning could possibly be one of the (if not the) best albums of 2005, but “the next Dylan” is yet to be determined.
Overall I give the record *****.
Digital Ash In A Digital Urn was released alongside I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning, which automatically garnered comparison to Ryan Adam’s Love Is Hell and Rock n’ Roll releases of 2003. They gained comparison not just because they were both released together, but also because each of their respective albums are so stylistically different from each other.
Unlike I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning’s country-ish sound, Digital Ash in a Digital Urn is just what the title suggests – digital. With the pulsing drum machine and rumbling synth throughout, Oberst has ventured where few singer songwriters have dared to go.
Even though Oberst has strayed from his usual sound by leaps and bounds, he has pulled it off nicely because of his ability to decisively articulate life with inspired and sincere poetic songwriting.
By and large, Digital Ash In A Digital Urn is not as commercial as I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning, but that’s not to say that it misses its mark.
Bright Eyes fans will find this album a welcome addition to their collection, but first-time listeners should probably procure a copy of I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning first. Overall I give the record HHHH

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