Bright Eyes- Cassadaga

Seconds into the new Bright Eyes album Cassadaga, listeners can tell this is a slightly different journey this time around.

Ominous, swooping dissonance drowns out a vocal track of a woman as she discusses self-actualization and how one shouldn't fear "the trip". Conor Oberst then enters the fray with his trusty acoustic guitar which is to later be met with light percussion and angelic, subdued backing harmonies. The song is entitled Clairaudients (Kill Or Be Killed), referring to clairaudience, a facet of parapsychology pertaining to extra-sensory perception and one's ability to obtain information by means of paranormal auditory channels.

The spoken word intro has become Bright Eyes' calling card, this time pairing a somewhat bizarre, cryptic conversation with an ethereal sonic landscape. Needless to say, this was quite the start to Cassadaga.

Having been released April 10th, I've deemed that a sufficient amount of time has elapsed in order for me to construct a level-headed, unbiased critique of my favorite band's most recent offering. As I've grown in tandem with Conor Oberst's stumbling, disturbing, and at times uncomfortably honest work, I had high hopes for Cassadaga.

After hearing the Four Winds EP which contains the new album's first single by the same name, and considering Bright Eyes' last album I'm Wide Awake it's Morning (I have written off Digital Ash In A Digital Urn as an unfortunate anomaly), a neo-folk album was to be expected. And the Omaha boys don't stray too far from the mold they created with their 2005 masterpiece I'm Wide Awake.

While Bright Eyes is usually characterized by Oberst's soul-crushingly personal lyrics, it has become customary to find lush, orchestral instrumentation within much of the band's work as well. This album is no different in that respect, with newly official member Nate Walcott manning the string and horn sections. In addition to that, long-time contributor Mike Mogis has also joined the ranks. The roster changes are quite apparent on Cassadaga as the songs soar within fuller, more expansive musical realms.

Oberst continues to evolve on his part as a songwriter, approaching his work with a more universal message in mind, as opposed to his earlier material which was anchored in self-evaluation bordering on self-pity; mature is the first word that comes to mind when attempting to qualify the new album.

While Oberst's relentless inability to censor himself will be missed, I am glad he has progressed as a writer and isn't content to remain stagnant and stick with what is quickly becoming a rote and contrived formula. Then again, Oberst has never been one to rest on his laurels when taking into account his mind-boggling output over the years (11 albums in 9 years). Easily one of the most prolific writers of the decade, his work is more polished yet abstruse than ever before, more focused while remaining entirely vague. This is perhaps the prevailing theme on Cassadaga, uncertainty.

After Clairaudients comes the album's first single, Four Winds. A fantastic song featuring Walcott's work on the violin and Oberst's stellar writing, this song encapsulates how much of a wunderkind Oberst truly is. The background vocals kick in at the just the right moment as Oberst exclaims: "She just can't sustain the pressure where it's placed. She caves". No other song on Cassadaga is quite as uptempo and energetic as Four Winds, which really was a curveball (but a welcome one) to the Bright Eyes faithful.

The following song is more indicative of how this album will unfold. If The Brakeman Turns My Way is also a strong track and does a decent job of not being lost in the shuffle considering what preceded it. The band's second single is next. Hot Knives meanders near what should become the band's new home as the band rediscovers its distorted, dizzying roots while coupling it with hints of lavish instrumentation. It's the best of both worlds and debatably the highlight of the album.

Oberst also writes what are arguably the finest lyrics of his career on this track with "Oh, I've made love. Yeah, I've been fucked...so what? I'm a cartoon, you're a full moon. Let's stay up."

Sadly, the susebquent song is the most disappointing track on Cassadaga. Make A Plan To Love Me is far too reliant on the background vocals of Eisley's Dupree sisters and the insipid, uninteresting string section had me reaching for the skip button seconds after it began.

Fortunately, Soul Singer In A Session Band is next and picks up right where Hot Knives left off. Bright Eyes strikes a healthy balance between rich sonic landscapes and an indie sensibility once again and strike gold. More outstanding lyrical prowess courtesy of Mr. Oberst on this track: "I had a lengthy discussion about The Power of Myth with a post-modern author who didn't exist. In this fictitious world, all reality twists. I was a hopeless romantic, now I'm just turning tricks."

Oberst really does impress me with every outing as he manages to craft one incredibly thoughtful tale after another. While he has always been the central figure of Bright Eyes, he has finally taken a backseat to the songs themselves and this makes for a novel direction.

Make no mistake, he remains the band's heart and soul. But Oberst humbly bowing out to the music has the band embarking on wholly different journey.

While Cassadaga is not Bright Eyes' finest work, it shows signs of great promise. Rock's "boy genius" has grown up and takes listeners on a swirling, dizzying albeit musically comforting ride in his head. All I can do as a listener is strap myself in and hope Oberst's prose can once again spin the needles on my musical compass all out of whack.
7.7/10