Digital Ash in a Digital Urn

by

Bright Eyes

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"Digital Ash in a Digital Urn" seems like an appropriate name for this album, one of two Bright Eyes has released in early 2005. It's about time and death, and it's swamped in digital music. Indie-rock's golden boy Conor Oberst lets out his inner Thom Yorke in this experimental album, which retains a dark, rough edge but doesn't quite measure up to Oberst's other work.

This time around, Oberst's mournful songs are dressed up in artful synth. Think of this as Bright Eyes' "Kid A" -- an experimental album that may herald a whole new direction for Bright Eyes, or may just be Oberst diddling around in the studio. "Digital Ash" takes some time to get moving, but is breathtaking when it finally does.

While "I'm Wide Awake It's Morning" has a stripped-down, warmer sound, "Digital Ash" is darker and colder -- part gritty rock, part new wave. Its heart is "I Believe in Symmetry," a jagged rock song with a transcendent climax. It's accompanied by the symphonic prettiness of "Gold Mine Gutted," and the cacophonic pop of "Take It Easy (Love Nothing)."

Oberst often overdoes it with all the synth and swelling soundscapes, with some very choppy beats put in. Regular instruments like a snare drum, acoustic guitar and strings keep it grounded. But despite the acoustic instruments, the dense electronic blips take this far away from country and indie rock.

His songwriting gets lost in the mix in songs like the vaguely loungey "Devil in the Details." His vocals also get messed with in a few songs, which just gives the feeling that parts of "Digital Ash" is overproduced. Most of the time his slightly trembly vocals are left alone, rising triumphantly over the multilayered music.

Conor Oberst is often maligned as pretentious, for songs that would be considered genius in an older musician. But his latest two albums establish Oberst as two things -- a talented prodigy, and one willing to take musican risks. Bright Eyes' "Digital Ash in A Digital Urn" is not the strongest work he has done, but it is definitely the bravest.

ok, i've given myself a few months to recover from the immediate shock of the crapiness of this CD...and i admit it has grown on me a little. I'm a huge Bright Eyes fan, and therefore naturally prejudiced to the folksy, lyrically-charged, typical Bright Eyes feel that existed in many of the previous albums and EP's. But still, in my mind this CD just can't compare to Lifted or Every Day and Every Night, or even Wide Awake. It's too poppy, too emo-ish, and the lyrics are mediocre at best. In fact I can't bear to listen to "Area of Time" simply because the first few lines are so bad.

But- Digital Ash is not without some redemption: Down in a Rabbit Hole, Hit the Switch, I Believe in Symmetry, and Take It Easy are all fine tracks.

If you are looking for a Postal Service-ish, synthesized feel then this is a fine choice. But keep in mind that this is unlike anything else Bright Eyes has ever done, and you might like this one CD and hate all of the other stuff Oberst has done.