Cassadaga [CD]

The latest Bright Eyes album is easily one of the finest alt. folk (or whatever brand of Americana you want to label them under) records released this year. In fact, it's their finest effort to date - it's warm, mature and lacking in much of the pretension of their previous efforts.

It's not all about Oberst's quivering delivery and often sharp thought provoking sentiments contained in his words, it's the sheer majesty of the country tinged musicianship (the pedal steel, the riotous percussion, the warm background vocals) and the arrangements that make the songs of `Cassadaga' so accessible and endearing.

2005's releases were, at times, exceptional (especially the more stripped down `I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning') and they certainly suggested that despite the quality of their output to date, there was something quite amazing yet to come from the young Oberst & Co.

`Cassadaga' is more of a sequel to `I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning' as it recalls the flow and atmosphere of the tales within its song cycle. However, as much as it evokes the tuneful element of the aforementioned release, it also delivers on the promises within 2002's sprawling `Lifted, Or The Story Is In The Soil, Keep Your Ear To The Ground'.

There's the Middle America characters and the political referencing that earned Oberst the `New Bob Dylan' accolades, yet the writing appears to be much more realized (the lyrics aren't just smart, but at times honest). The incredible `Hot Knifes' and the single `Four Winds' carry the recurring themes: religion and truth. In fact, much of the album rotates around the idea that life, like the haven the album is named after, is just that ... an idea (as the lady states amongst the noise of the opener, `Clairaudients': "Cassadaga might be just a premonition of a place you're going to visit").

This is the band's fullest and most developed record yet. Musically and lyrically it's ambitious, and although sometimes the ambition overwhelms its initial impact the intrigue pulls you back in.

Sure, the themes presented can be deemed as `heavy' - as it focuses on the questions around life ... such as our purpose - but `Cassadaga' is quite the opposite, it's a lifting listening experience and appears to be free of the burden of some of their previous records (there's much less anguish on display).

This could quite possibly be Bright Eye's masterpiece ... as important as The Arcade Fire's `Funeral' - in that it highlights that somewhere, among the thousands of generic sounding guitar bands out there, there's real music.

You could find yourself submerged in this album.

I had never heard anything by Bright Eyes until over easter, when they did an interview on radio one at something like midnight. They played a stripped down version of 'middleman', and i knew i was hearing something special. the album is no different. Current favourites are 'if the breakman turns my way' and 'hot knives', but each song is a gem. Might need a couple of listens if you are new to them, but their style is something you'll come to know and love. Lyrics are inspired as well, although not as politically driven perhaps as other albums, although there are several strong ideas.

Cassadaga took me by surprise upon first listening. The once raw stripped down, almost "unplugged" sound of previous Bright Eyes releases was taken away and replaced with a much cleaner, more produced sound. That's not to say that Conor Oberst has given in to acclaimed mainstream stardom, his style remains, and his ingenious poetry still manages to captivate and touch in ways only previously accomplished by Bob Dylan. A tough analogy indeed, but such is the quality of Bright Eyes lyrics, and a comparison made so quaint and often in todays society where each Bright Eyes album has brought the "wunderkid" more and more critical acclaim upon each release.

The album opens as expected with any Bright Eyes album, a slow building attack on mainstream music - usually including atmospheric noises and speach, as a way of telling everyone that this is something you have not heard before, and you would not expect it on anybody else's CD. The song eventually evolves into a beautiful acoustic Indie Folk track, very similar to work from his previous album "I'm Wide Awake It's Morning".

"Four Winds" is the first single to be released, which showcases Oberst's new polished sound coupled with a "firefly soundtrack"-sounding string quartet so aptly used through the whole album. Soaring acoustic guitars and powerful strung chords coupled with fragile honest lyrics shows one of Oberst's best songs to date. Obviously a God-fearing man, but knowledgable of the increasing problems in todays society, his broad vocabulary tells the lot in an trully extraordinary track.

"If The Brakeman Turns My Way" is another different sounding Bright Eyes track, led by simple piano chords. His strong intuition on using chord progression is brought across wonderfully, and he manages to captivate emotion and setting to perfection on this sombre tune.

"Hot Knives" sounds similar to some of the tracks from 2002 outing "Lifted..." - with a fuzzy effect surrounding the guitar work. Again, Conor Oberst's emotive lyrics and fragile, often narcissistic voice bring out the true beauty of the song, and his poetic writing ceases to astound time and time again. The song eventually fades into the beautiful, soulful "Make a Plan to Love Me", where the full orchestra backs the folk singer to create an atmospheric slice on the album.

"Soul Singer In a Session Band" and "Classic Cars" sound like some of Ryan Adams work (not a bad thing at all) - and give the album a sort of Rock 'n' Roll, Bluesy feel, adding another twist to the ever changing Bright Eyes sound. "Middleman" showcases, in my oppinion, one of Oberst's best songs to date. The string quartet slouching along with the finger picking guitar and jungle beat drums adds another turn in the sound of the album, and creates a very quaint, warm feeling to the album.

The sound quickly changes, however, to the melancholy "No One Would Riot For Less" - another politically charged song, deep in emotion and musical depth - not that you would expect anything less from a songwriting genious such as Conor Oberst. "Coat Check Dream Song" sound like some of Bright Eyes more upbeat, electronic stuff, reminiscent of previous album "Digital Ash in a Digital Urn" - with heavier, dominating drum beats and more frontal lyrics, rather than his subdued style often portrayed on this outing.

The closing songs "I Must Belong Somewhere" and "Lime Tree" close the album wonderfully, switching back to the acoustic, folkey sound - again very similar to some of Ryan Adams work, and possess powerful, honest lyrics about life, and lonliness and compassion. The album surely closes, and leaves a fulfilled feel in your stomach.

All in all, an absolutely fantastic release in which everybody will gain something from. Oberst's vast knowledge on many a subject; always an oppinion to share, and always a song to sing. His obsessive compulsion to create masterpieces is becoming a formality, and one that his listeners are welcoming with open arms.