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Bright Eyes: Cassadaga

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By: Kendall | in: Music |

Cassadaga, FL is a small community in Central Florida that is known for its mediums and psychics. On its own website Cassadaga even calls itself the “Psychic Center of the World”. It is the title of the new album from Bright Eyes.

Bright Eyes

Conor Oberst aka Bright Eyes, has been making records since he was 13 years old. He’s even spent time on the Anti-Bush, Vote for Change tour rocking out with Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen. The 2005 double release of I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning and the experimental Digital Ash in a Digital Urn both reflect this level of involvement in a very up front manner. Cassadaga still holds many of these values, but is not as up front about it.
The musical lending from a slew of guests abound, and help lend to the strongest Bright Eyes album to date. Andy LeMaster (Now It’s Overhead), Ben Kweller, Janet Weiss (ex-Sleater Kinney), Jason Boesel (Rilo Kiley), and John McEntire (Tortoise) are a few of the stand out names that partake. The Album was recorded throughout 2006 in Portland, OR, New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles. This would be the first time that the players have recorded outside of the Lincoln, NE Studio belonging to permanent member Mike Mogis.

Bright Eyes - Cassadaga

The Beginning of the Album is filled with 2 minutes of a woman talking about Cassadaga and other places psychic places backed by all kinds of instrumental noise. Get through that first two minutes, and the album begins to unfold. The first song “Clairaudients (Kill or Be Killed)” clocks in over 6 minutes (including the 2 minutes of talking and noise), and grabs you once the real music starts. One line in the song asks you, “Would you agree times have Changed?” The answer becomes abundantly clear over the course of 13 tracks. YES! At least for Bright Eyes they have. Oberst and company have molded a fully formed album, that has gone more Alt-Country (if not more Americana) than previous attempts. The level of confidence and comfort has hit a peak, and the jitters seemed to have shook themselves out. The album is full of strings, vocal harmonies, elaborate production, and plenty of atmosphere. “Four Winds”, is the 2nd track on the album, as well as the first song to be released. It follows Oberst through “Dakota where the genocide sleeps/in the Black Hills, the Badlands, the calloused East” where he a Buries his Ballast and makes peace. It even brings him to Cassadaga to commune with the dead. Other tracks are straight up love songs. “Make A Plan To Love Me”, is a playful attempt. It is filled with Girl Group vocals, and strings that remind someone of The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Mesner from Ben Folds. “If The Brakeman Turns My Way” deals with trying to take some time to get back to normal and level out. The influence of Neil young and Springsteen becomes prevalent here. “Classic Cards” talks about the love between a man, and a much wiser(probably older) woman. She seems to be teaching a young lover some rules of life. The Final track is titled “Lime Tree” and deals with abortion. You are left to wonder if it’s autobiographical, or made as an outsider looking in. The track is simply vocals, guitar, and some unsettling strings. It is as cold as it is lonely, and represents the subject well.

Bright Eyes

For fans that liked previous releases from Bright Eyes, this will not disappoint. For fans listening for the first time, Cassadaga, will be a lovely door into the Soul of Conor Oberst. Occasionally the lyrics tend to get a bit wordy, but when you have the gift of songwriting like Oberst, it will draw you in to listen any day.

[Buy Bright Eyes - Cassadaga]

Bright Eyes - No One Would Riot For Less

[Download]

Bright Eyes - Four Winds

[Download]

Check out Bright Eyes live in this amazing AOL Session.


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Posted on April 10, 2007

Comments

3 Responses to “Bright Eyes: Cassadaga”

  1. geekgasmic.com on April 10th, 2007 10:49 am

    Bright Eyes: Cassadaga

    Great write-up of Conor Oberst and the new Bright Eyes album, “Cassadaga”.


  2. mozzer on April 10th, 2007 11:04 am

    Bright Eyes definitely sounds more alt-country these days. Great review Kendall, I’ll be picking this one up.


  3. Kendall on April 10th, 2007 12:14 pm

    Thanks Mozzer!


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