by: John
Most Bright Eyes reviews, I would assume, feature phrase "love it or hate it." This review is no exception. Even now, after three full lenths and a multitude of EPs and singles, Conor Oberst's music is still a love/hate affair (although most listeners consider him undeniably talented). Most
detractors have a problem with Oberst's quavering vibrato or the thick layers of pretense. Well, truth be told, "Lifted" is still whiny and pretentious. Oberst's lyrical and musical scope has broadened a little though and it proves very effective. Lyrically, there are still stories of lost love and bitterness. In an effort to further the Dylan comparisons, however, Oberst has included a few political allusions and commentaries. "Don't Know When But a Day is Going to Come" is a, dare I say, post-9/11 vision of what's to come. Yet unlike his mainstream contemporaries, Oberst paints an ambiguous and dark image (as should be expected). "I knew a lovely girl with such pretty pride / every man wanted her and so did I / but she up and died / in a fit of vanity" is his eulogy to Lady Liberty. His lyrics are often frustrating though as it is usually hard to tell whether he is being sincere or not. On several tracks he satirizes his audience and he constantly shifts viewpoints and emotions. It shocks me that the press release from his label calls the album "pretense-free."
Vocally, "Lifted" is a lot more tolerable than previous releases. On several tracks ("From a Balance Beam", "Nothing Gets Crossed Out") it seems as if Oberst makes a conscious effort to sing like a normal person - and it works. The real highlight of "Lifted", however, is the music. The album features an abundance of Omaha musicians from all corners of the Saddle Creek camp (Now It's Overheard, The Faint, Rilo Kiley, Azure Ray, The Good Life). The songs are all, for the most part, extremely well orchestrated. "Lifted" lets instruments like trumpets and cellos co-exist in folk songs. "Make War" and "Laura Laurent" feature a countryish twang that the band hasn't explored before, and "Lover I Don't Have to Love" is a blistering electronic pop song. If the title is any indication, "Lifted" is cumbersome - it clocks in at over 73 minutes. It's a tough listen but it's worth it, if only to get an idea of what the future holds for this promising 22-year-old.
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