Bright Eyes
“Cassadaga”

Release Date 09th April 2007
Label : Polydor Music Ltd

www.thisisbrighteyes.com

www.myspace.com/brighteyes

From its hugely operatic Beatlesesque opening this record seems to be describing the journey that Bright Eyes members Conor Oberst, Mike Mogis and Nate Walcott have taken to bring us this record. And this is not journey down Sunset Strip in Hollywood or through Time Square in New York but a journey through the dust and dirt of the forgotten America.
This album is in its essence a Country Alt record with the tone and content of the songs highlighting the complex character who writes these songs – Conor Oberst. Who at just 19 years was hailed as the second coming and even with this pressure on, Conor and his band and the other musicians he has collected together have made a fantastic record.
With its whirling dervish of religious (Four Winds), political (Kill or be Killed) and sociological (If the Breakman turns my way, Hot Knives) themes running throughout the record you will either be warmed, called to arms or just find that a little part of your soul have been revived (Amen!!).
As a songwriter Conor Oberst is never going to go for the obviously lyric and Bright Eyes as a band are always destined to make challenging music but with Cassadaga they have managed to make this somehow accessible. There are some incredibly tender songs on this record including my personal favourite “Make a plan to love me” with its beautiful guitar and backing singing it is the perfect antidote to some of the more hard hitting tracks.
Even the presentation of this album with its ‘Spectral Decoder’ which when pressed against the cover of the album reveals a picture seems to elude to the fact that a special secret is contained within this album and if you listen closely maybe Bright Eyes might let you in on it!

 

Charlotte King