Under Review: Bright Eyes - Cassadaga

If I'm asked to name one song to characterize Bright Eyes, I'll pretty much invariably think of "Lover I Don't Have To Love" off 2002's Lifted or the Story Is In the Soil, Keep Your Ear To the Ground. Not that it's his best song - but more because it's angst and sense of urgency pretty much epitomize Conner Oberst's work.

Well, prepare to be stunned. On Cassadaga Oberst does a 180 and sounds more like some sort of Ryan Adams/Bruce Springsteen love child. Of course, you're asking yourself "alright, but is that a good thing?"

The answer is "sort of".

I think that it may partially have to do with Oberst choosing to explore new territory that he's not 100% comfortable with. But in after a few listens Cassadaga really seems like a mixed bag. Not to say it's all bad "Hot Knives" "Four Winds" and "I Must Belong Somewhere" are all great tracks - but this album seems more like one that you'd listen to driving down the highway then one you'd listen to over and over.

I think that people's opinion of this album will vary quite a bit - chances are after reading this you already will have a feeling if you'll dig it or not.

Listen: Bright Eyes - Four Winds (MP3)


Cassadaga is out is out 4/10 on Saddle Creek