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| Bright Eyes - Cassadaga | Bright Eyes - Cassadaga
Label: Saddle-Creek
Release: April 10, 2007
Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylanm and Conor Oberst are three very different people. One was the pioneer of drifter rock n' roll with his celebrated release Born to Run. Another was born Robert Zimmerman and released a mass of records, including gems as Highway 61 Revisited, an album that unalterably changed rock n' roll with folkloric tales of love and myth. The last is boy-wonderkid from Omaha, Nebraska, who has been making waves in the music business since he was in his early teens, co-founding the now infamous indie tastemaker Saddle-Creek. However, to not compare the three and see Springsteen and Dylan's revolutionary sounds echoed in Bright Eyes' new album Cassadaga is to not look hard enough. While it may not sound like, in subject or structure, either of the legends, Oberst has crafted an album that reads as the epitome of 21st century American Youth, filled with blunt sexuality, mystical atheism and disillusionment. The similarities between Cassadaga, Highway 61 Revisited, and Born to Run lie in their nature: two are, and one will be, remembered for being the most revolutionary and complete albums of their times.
Cassadaga is much like a progression from the Bright Eyes album LIFTED, yet he almost completely abandons the electronica of some of his previous songs and releases for the grand country sound he has mastered, exemplified by the folky perfection of “Classic Cars,” and “Make a Plan to Love Me.”
Two of the most interesting comments made by Oberst in regards to the release were that it was going to be "smarter" and contain "no political songs." While smart is as dangerous a word as ‘mature’ in describing a release, Oberst proves that Cassadaga is indeed the smartest of all Bright Eyes current releases. By relenting to recording in proper bigger studios, as well as mastering the tracks and adding a mass of instrumentation, Oberst shows that he has grown out of his bedroom recording phase, and the songs soar to even higher peaks as such. The music, as well, demonstrates that the production is not compensating for a lack of musicianship. Nate Walcott, Mike Mogis, and Oberst are at their absolute best, together proving through the beautifully orchestrated and structured "If the Brakemen Turns my Way," "Hot Knives," and "No One Would Riot For Less" that they are some of, if not the, most talented songwriting groups in a very long time. While the full Bright Eyes band sound brought on in Wide Awake is abandoned at points for sprawling instrumentation, every note is executed with emotive precision and grace, making all the songs a cornucopia of details that can't all be heard on the first listen. By dwelling in the cinematic styles of orchestral backgrounds (re: “No One Would Riot For Less”), Bright Eyes have outdone themselves, highlighting the strengths of Oberst’s voice and Mogis and Walcott’s genius song structures all the better.
The other of Oberst's comments, the "no more politics" in his songs, is not necessarily true. While he does not write a political song in the vein of "When the President Talks to God," most of the songs contain deft social commentary that is not blunt, but instead chillingly hidden right in front of the listener. This is Oberst strength with words exhibited; instead of doing what he knows will get him heard, ala his old political songs, he changes his poetry into something that is ultimately more memorable. There is also only one proper love song, “Make a Plan to Love Me,” leaving 12 tracks open for Conor’s brilliant talent for describing the world around him. Oberst speaks for a swelling millions of youths that are presented with a world that is frighteningly close to destruction. And he does not do this by presuming his position as "Speaker for the Youth," instead opting for convincing the listener that he is one of them, and that ultimately among all of the depression and failure that permeates the world, there is hope, ala "Four Winds," "Cleanse Song" and "I Must Belong Somewhere." He is an individualist that sees the depression and sadness like we all do, yet he overcomes (or at least avoids) it; and by writing of this, he leads his fans along with him.
The strongest track on the album cannot really be identified from the other strong tracks. The only track that doesn't qualify for best song on the album is "Coat Check Dream Song," for a reason I say later. Otherwise, there are thirteen tracks that sound nothing alike and yet tie together beautifully in a wash of emotive sincerity and flawless musicianship. I would put "Four Winds" as the best song on the album, and indeed far and away the best song of the year. It is pop perfection infused with the beautiful aspects of country and indie music. "I Must Belong Somewhere" has the best lyrics, as it completely outlines Oberst's point with the album, that there is simplicity among all the mysticism. “Middleman” is an exemplar of how Bright Eyes have mastered the use of minor sounds, like the clinking of instruments, the slight feedback on Obersts voice, and the subtle job descriptions in the outro of the song. And finally, "When the Brakeman Turns My Way" has the best use of musicianship and vocals melodies, making the track sound like Dylan gone pretty.
The albums weak point, if there is one, is that there is sometimes an over-use of instrumentation. One can imagine Oberst as a child who has been eating bitter candy all his life (bedroom recording) stepping into a candy shop of instruments and organs and strings and horns and going hog wild. Mogis and Walcott are also part in parcel with Oberst in this. However, to say that this is a flaw is to not acknowledge that it is also a strength; there are precious few seconds where this weakness shines through, as in the outro of "Coat Check Dream Song."
Conor Oberst is 27 years old. Springsteen was 26. Dylan was 24. All their ages coincide with the album that skyrocketed their respective careers to some of the greatest in rock music. Oberst will not be remiss among these legends when all is said and done. Cassadaga is a picture of Americana through flawless instrumentation, introspective but rarely overly emotional lyricism, and a sense that Bright Eyes have a unique grasp of the road, both its despair and its hope. Oberst, while recording Cassadaga in multiple studios across the country, found out that the road is where America is, and he has beautifully chronicled the state of his fellow men and youth in his 7th proper release. Soak it in, because soon enough Cassadaga will be remembered for its beauty, its relevance, and its revolutionary drive of rock, folk, and alternative music. As Conor says in the second to last track of the album, "I Must Belong Somewhere":
"Everything it must belong somewhere/
and I know that now, that's why I'm stayin' here"
Oberst has found Americana in the recording and writing of the new album, not just its finished sound. That’s what makes this album worthy of the stratosphere of Dylan’s and Springsteen’s legendary releases; with every gasping vocal from Conor or the numerous guest vocals, you can hear Bright Eyes, not just Oberst, finding something in the notes and in the words, something that maybe we can’t yet grasp. And it is this discovery that will eventually leave Cassadaga among the great Americana albums of all time. |
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Displaying posts 1 - 15 of 16. |
02:26 PM on 04/08/07 | Good lord, if this gets approved you are going to get infinite amounts of shit, haha. I am okay with Bright Eyes, but 99% is just asking for it. | | |
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05:49 PM on 04/08/07 | Good album, and I say that as someone who was not an Oberst fan at all, but I'd put it no higher than about an 89. | | |
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03:45 PM on 04/10/07 | Originally Posted by Steve Henderson Good lord, if this gets approved you are going to get infinite amounts of shit, haha. I am okay with Bright Eyes, but 99% is just asking for it. |
dont i know it.
for me tho, i listened to it for two weeks straight, comparing it to LIFTED and the rest of the cd's that id given ratings comparatively to... and the score was the only thing i could come up with. also, ive been a fan of Conor's for a very long time, so im sure that played a little into it haha
and the review is a praise of Bright Eyes... im willing to put up with that. | | |
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05:28 PM on 04/10/07 | This gets posted but not my wonderful Saosin review?
(33% Is what I gave it) | | |
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03:53 PM on 04/11/07 | woah, WAYYYYY too high. Good review, but the score is WAYYYY too high. | | |
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04:33 PM on 04/11/07 | Originally Posted by Tom Goodwoah, WAYYYYY too high. Good review, but the score is WAYYYY too high. |
my first ratings before i changed them to the 99-worthy ones were
9.25
10
9.5
9.5
9.25
9.25
9.5
prolly woulda made the score lower | | |
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02:05 PM on 04/13/07 | Apparently I Know Nothing how did this get approved? no matter how much you may like his vocals, they're "technically" not very good. that definetly does not a deserve a 9.75. | | |
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05:30 PM on 04/13/07 | Originally Posted by xIfIHadOneWishxhow did this get approved? no matter how much you may like his vocals, they're "technically" not very good. that definetly does not a deserve a 9.75. |
Approval of a review is not based upon the opinions expressed or the scores given. Everybody must remember that reviews are just opinions and somebody is going to disagree with every review. These reviews are jumping off points for discussions about the music which is why viewers are allowed to respond with their own opinions and rate the album also. | | |
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10:42 AM on 04/14/07 | I dont think anything warrants a 10 listening value after a simple 2 weeks listen. By then your still in the early stages of figuring what its all about :) | | |
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07:50 PM on 04/14/07 | Originally Posted by xIfIHadOneWishxhow did this get approved? no matter how much you may like his vocals, they're "technically" not very good. that definetly does not a deserve a 9.75. |
neglecting the whole "approved" thing, which was talked about above... i think the vocals are actually technically good... the backup melodies are well written, and for my money i think conors voice has grown leaps and bounds since "Wide Awake".. alot of the warble has grown out of his voice, and it sounds more confident as such... plus the vocals aren't incredibly brought up over the other instrumentation, which is a positive as well... overall they were well recorded and well accentuated among the rest of the instrumentation.
and while conor doesn't venture out of his well developed low register too often, at the same time i think if he did strain up with his notes more often it would take away from the music.
but to each his own. | | |
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04:18 AM on 04/23/07 | i'm sorry, but this review is pure bullshit.
Quote: | The albums weak point, if there is one, is that there is sometimes an over-use of instrumentation. |
any review of a CD that claims the CD has a "weak point" is not deemed worthy of a 99%, especially a weak point that can be applied to a good portion of this record. over-use of instrumentation...yet musicianship gets a 10?
and a 9.75 on conor obersts vocals? you have got to be fucking kidding me. reviewer's tilt is about 1,000% on this one. if what you believe is true, about this record being 99%, it better be in your top 5 albums of all time. | | |
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10:23 AM on 04/23/07 |  Originally Posted by themostdepletei'm sorry, but this review is pure bullshit.
any review of a CD that claims the CD has a "weak point" is not deemed worthy of a 99%, especially a weak point that can be applied to a good portion of this record. over-use of instrumentation...yet musicianship gets a 10?
and a 9.75 on conor obersts vocals? you have got to be fucking kidding me. reviewer's tilt is about 1,000% on this one. if what you believe is true, about this record being 99%, it better be in your top 5 albums of all time. |
granted... the score was way to high and i took it down... that was wrong.
but, you read the review where i state that the instrumentation is a weak point, I also say that it is one of the albums strengths...
tracks like "No One Would riot for less" would be way weaker without the Leonard Cohen-esque strings behind him... and yet "Coat Check" has an overuse of instrumentation.
but the reason the musicianship is a 10 is because of the beauty of the record... "Coat Check" isnt a bad song, and the instrumentation rarely gets overused, but it does in rare places... the fact of it is is that with a risk like layering a 37-piece orchestra behind a Bright Eyes record is going to yield either excellent or terrible results, and in this case the result was a sprawling beuatiful album that was engineered well and driven by a wonderful knack for music.
imo, it deserved a 10... but granted the scores for the others were high. and no review is pure bullshit.... its an opinion and review of an album based on standards and qualities i like in music... so it can't be pure bullshit.
it may be to you, but that doesn't make it so across the board. | | |
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11:30 AM on 04/23/07 | it's bullshit when the review says it's basically perfect, and you include weak points and flaws on the record in your review. that's not an opinion. if you think this record is an 11/10, and support it, i can't really call it bullshit..because it IS your opinion. however, your review doesn't support itself, and is just a flawed review. that's why it's BS in my opinion. | | |
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