BACK TO LIST Artist: Bright Eyes Album: LBJ-72 I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning Publication: Whatcharockin.com Reviewed By: Michael Schoeck Date: 2005-01/26 Website: www.whatcharockin.com Review Link: www.whatcharockin.com/review.asp?portfolio_id=2375&folder_id=174 Conor Oberst starts off disc one of his two new albums, the folk/country album, ÒIÕm Wide Awake, ItÕs Morning,Ó with a two-minute anecdote a la Ryan Adams about a plane carrying a young woman, soon to be married. Nearly plummeting into the sea before the folk song begins, the 24-year-old crooner begins strumming as the story turns from disaster into the girlÕs surprise birthday party. Featuring My Morning Jacket front man Jim James on harmony vocals, ÒAt The Bottom of EverythingÓ is a guitar and mandolin roots-rich folk ditty reminiscent of the Billy Bragg and Wilco ÒMermaid AvenueÓ collaborations with unearthed Woody Guthrie prose. ÒWide AwakeÓ is a fresh breath of air in the Bright Eyes catalog. The EP teasers for both new albums, with singles ÒLuaÓ and ÒTake it Easy (Love Nothing),Ó amazingly broke out atop the Billboard Singles Chart in mid-November. Although not as sprawling and dense as the chamber-pop breakthrough on 2002Õs ÒLifted or the Story Is in the Soil,Ó ÒWide AwakeÓ is similar to the Bob Dylan returning to his roots on the late-seventiesÕ ÒBlood on the Tracks.Ó And to think, Dylan was pushing 40 at the time. After nine minutes of steel guitars and country diva Emmylou HarrisÕ first guest appearance on ÒWe Are Nowhere And ItÔs Now,Ó Conor returns to his atypical live show demeanor on ÒLua.Ó One of two odes to his new second home, Manhattan, ÒLuaÓ tells of the picaresque scene of the big city- heavy hearts, passing taxi cabs and self medication- ÒBut me IÕm not a gamble, you can count on me to split / If you promise to stay conscious I will try and do the same.Ó ÒFirst Day of My LifeÓ shifts back to the vintage shred of optimism and hints at the tell-tale love and consequences of DylanÕs ÒBuckets of Rain.Ó The Nebraskan confesses between rasps, humming and his voice-cracking fashion, ÒIÕd rather be working for a paycheck then waiting to win the lottery.Ó Another recent gem from the live Bright Eyes set, ÒLandlocked BluesÓ is a shimmering six-minute, too-many-verses-to-remember folk song with Emmylou HarrisÕ last guest appearance on lead vocals with Conor and a brief trumpet line by Nate Wolcott. The structure and tempo is most similar to some of the early Bright Eyes, like 2000Õs ÒSomething Vague.Ó ÒWide AwakeÓ features the production and instrumentals of Mike Mogis, who has worked with the bulk of the Saddle Creek family as well as on ÒLiftedÓ and the other new electric Bright Eyes release, ÒDigital Ash.Ó Verve Records guitarist Jesse Harris, previously involved with Norah JonesÕ Grammy-winner ÒCome Away with Me,Ó guests on the country stomp of ÒAnother TravelinÕ SongÓ with fellow FerdinandosÕ bassist Tim Luntzel.Ê