New Bright Eyes - "No One Would Riot For Less"
The blogosphere's collective enthusiasm for Conor Oberst seems to have dampened in the past few months. (Save your ticket allowance, kids.) But Stereogum still holds out hope that Cassadaga will be, like, totally important. New Dylan's got something to say, America. War, "it's got no heart ... it will kill you in the sunshine." Check out the second free MP3 from the forthcoming album (out 4/10 on Saddle Creek):
Bright Eyes - "No One Would Riot For Less" (MP3)
The instrumentation's quite lovely. Dig those swelling strings and the echo choir. But overall his cautionary tale reads like Neil Young-lite. Anyone got the full-length? E-mail us if you do; we'll be crying in our coffee. (Thanks Pearl for the heads up!)
Posted at 9:59 AM in MP3
I really want to shank every blogger that uses the Dylan comparison.
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yea, or all the "crying" stuff...that was 2001..its 6 years later and people grow up.
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There is something so uncool about the string section in this song. It sounds big and slick and very 1990's. It's completely unprovocative.
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Iffy. I'm not expecting much on the LP. Beh Conor, Beh.
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I won't complain about the backlash. Just means there will be less competition for tickets (maybe).
Honestly, the two songs I've heard from Cassadaga so far (this one and Four Winds) are excellent. They're a long way from his "curl up and cry" days, yet still maintain an honest, personal nature. And Four Winds kicks ass.
So he's got me in his corner, at least.
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In the past 10 years, Conor has made better sounding Dylan albums that Dylan has. People will whine about Bright Eyes sucking every time he puts out a new album, but as usual, it will be great. People love picking out artists who attempt to wear their heart outside their clothes... which is why it is difficult to make fun of radiohead, which rarely shows heart at all.
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So he's made albums similar in sound to The Freewheelin Bob Dylan, Highway 61, and Blood on the Tracks and done them better? Last time I checked for all of his "I'm more straight foward than Dylan so don't compare me" he hasn't written anything as movingly simple as Don't Think Twice Its Alright, or anything epic as Desolation Row or Visions of Johanna. What he does have is Cassadaga, which sounds like an over-produced Basement Tapes influenced record.
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not only is he ripping off bob dylan, now he's ripping off queensrÿche! can you say 'silent lucidity,' friends?
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so, like - who's the old Dylan? yah, I'know.
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ehmmmmmm...
I think "Four Winds" and "No One..." are great.
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Made better Dylan records than Dylan has? Time Out Of Mind, Modern Times, and Love And Theft are highlights in Dylan's discography. From muscianship, to vocal delivery, to lyrical theft, Dylan does it better. 'It aint dark yet, but it's gettin there.'
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On a totally unrelated but related note, did you know that there's a band in India called Silent Lucidity? They're pretty popular in Bombay and I think they're on MySpace too.
Woo!
Too much coffee.
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chase... Time Out of Mind was pretty good. The other two though, seriously? I wasn't impressed, anyway.
He seems to have this thing for skipping Philadelphia on tours the last couple years. Not a big fan of that practice.
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i like it
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i agree with artmusiche, the strings sound like they've been stolen from a movie soundtrack, i think they're too big to be indie, they're sort of too indistinct, it needs Jesus etc strings (probably the best sounding strings in a song ever, and I play all stringed instruments before anyone gets uppity, absolutely all of them, expertly). I like the ethereal choral effect though.
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maybe he doesnt care about being indie...maybe he just wants to write songs and make music...
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whatever happened to that song endless entertainment? i thought that was going on the new record?
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Conor quote in Spin a few months back:
"There's a feeling in the world right now like everything is unraveling, but maybe that's not a bad thing. I'm not convinced that the human race is good for this planet anyway."
I realize we have our problems but christ, is this your message dude? We have to at least agree that we belong and we can make it better. Get this guy some decent drugs please.
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"maybe he doesnt care about being indie...maybe he just wants to write songs and make music..."
Exactly. The strings are "too big to be indie"? If there really is a threshold at which strings can and cannot be considered "indie" please kill me now.
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Better than anything off of Four Winds but I still can't see this being very good... I want the old conor!
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All of the "New Dylan" + "Cheer up emo kid!" stuff really makes me never want to listen to Bright Eyes again.
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Yea, the Dylan comparison is too much for me. I just don't see the similarity. I don't remember when Dylan used a string section or ever sang as quietly and weakly as Bright Eyes. I'm not even really into Bright Eyes, but the last two songs have been kind of cool, decent, nothing to buy CD's or tickets over. The guy runs his label...pretty sure he'll be releasing stuff for a while.
As far as it being better than recent Dylan output...come on. Modern Times went to number 1...Love & Theft is high quality, granted not spectacular, but at least as good as Bright Eyes material...and Time Out of Mind won a Grammy. Not to judge by chart or award standards, but it says something concrete.
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WHAT HAPPENED? I don't know this guy - where did Conor go?
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conor is the most amazing musician ever.and bright eyes is the most incredible band ever.there is no one who ever had or ever will have more beautiful music or lyrics than conor =]
he is unique and there is no such thing as "too big for indie" indie is INDEPENDANT in case anyone forgot that.it means being yourself and not giving a damn what other people think.conor should be the most respected musician for his talents and also for never signing on to a major label.
i have four winds and its amazing.and ive heard a few songs from casadaga and they're amazing too =]
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aperfectsonnet, will go you to Prom with me?
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well done "oh". I was trying to think of something witty to say and you took the words right out of my mouth. I quite like this and Four Winds (and Tourist Trap off of the EP). I'm excited for this to leak.
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I actually like the song, it's pretty good, and it certainly sounds a bit different, but if you look back to his earlier stuff, Letting off, Fevers, and Digital Ash, are not that similar, are they?
And I'm sorry but "too big for indie" is probably the most ridiculous thing I've ever read! I don't know, I have a problem with that word "indie", anyway.
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im sry "oh" lol.im taken so i cant hah. but its still cool your a bright eyes fan.so many people have almost turned against them.but im glad you didnt
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I hated this song, but I like four winds&tourist trap off of cassadega. But I am shocked at his popularity because I thought he wanted to steer clear of being so popular that his concert tickets were selling out in two minutes? and I am shocked at all the recent media he has done, I thought he was completely against clear channel and such, why are his videos on FUSE. I am confused what his image is or even if he cares about his fans.
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Listen up all you damn kids! A bunch of real Abercrombies you are. Back in my son's day there was this youngster going around, stirring up trouble, and playing depressing folk music. His name was Townes Van Zandt. Learn some music history you little twits!
Anyways, I didn't care much for him. I'm more of a "Baby Loves Papa's Moustache, Oh Yeaaaaaahhhhhhh!" fan. Remember that one? Sung through a megaphone by Rudy Carraway. Boy, that knucklehead could croon. Mind you, he was one heck of a ladies man. He'd have your dame's gams wrapped around his waste doing the Lindy Hop in no time. Next thing you know they'd be pitching woo in the trundle seat of a Model T in the alley behind the Wingding.
I think I just pooped my pants...
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...big fan of Digital Ash, Wide Awake & Lifted and a few tracks from Noise Floor [bad blood, devil town, trees get..., happy birthday...] 4 Winds EP is growing on me. The Showbox in Seattle - great venue, can't wait for Sunday night's show. all the B.E. haters out there - WHATEVER. comparisons are boring.
Cloud Cult's "Meaning of 8" and "Happy Hippo" - friggin' awesome.
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Whoa, no Damien Rice comparisons? I was thinking that was the obvious one, what with the backing vocals and all...
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this song is epic and brilliant, who cares if he has influences, don't we all?
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Again, Ill have to say I agree with this whole bullshit about whether or not Conor is staying within indie guidelines. No such thing exists. This song isn't my favorite but Four Winds, tourist trap, and a few others Ive heard are fantastic. Its just a different sound. and if you are really a bright eyes/ Conor Oberst fan, you would know that this is what he does. Look at all the older albums and their succesion. Lifted sounds different from Fevers and Fevers sounds different from Digital Ash and Im Wide Awake and Noise Floor is a whole goddamn hodgepodge of his career. A real musician's sound evolves. Im glad he isnt stagnant. Im glad that Im not listening to stuff that sounds exactly the same as his earlier work. Every time a new album comes out from any band/performer that has been "under the radar" so to speak, there's always going to be a group of kids who bash it and say it sucks just cuz its new and hes selling out etc, etc. Look at what those fuckers did with Death Cabs Plans! Everyone and their brother got into that band during Transatlanticism and then proclaimed that they sold out when Plans came out. fuck that shit. Either like the band or dont. No ones forcing you to listen. No ones asking you to like it. but dont get online and spew this bs about Conors new album not fitting into some closeminded music parameters that you've set up or wax poetic about better albums gone by. He's a cool kid. Ive met him. Let him do his shit. Its amazing.
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Conor and Mr. Dylan may not sound identical, but I have always been able to see the similarity. I think the comparison comes more from the strength of their lyrics. You know, they will both sing a line that is so simple and can sum everything up at the same time. It leaves you with that "why the hell didn't I think of that" feeling. Plus they both have incredibly unique voices, which compared to the standards of their respective times, are not the most popular sounds, but they still were able to gain wild respect.
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lol when has anything connor released sounded anything like anything he's done.
you all need to go fuck yourselves. this is brilliant and cassadaga will be amazing.
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I agree, Cassadaga will be amazing.
Whether it's his old stuff or his new stuff, Conor's style has always been all about expressing his emotions and his feelings on whatever it is that's occupying his mind at the time.
Screw the labels.
"Emo."
"Indie."
Bright Eyes and all of Conor's projects have always been a combination of sincere lyrics and original music. And you've gotta give the guy at least a little repect for going against the grain and continuing to put out albums that are portraits of his soul, not carbon copies of what every other musician has done.
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ok conor oberst is litterally the best musician i have ever known. the crying days are pretty good even though theyre alittlte depressing. his lyrics make a world of sense. keep the political stuff comming. bob dylan is good but the comparison is disagreeable to me. con or is good or better in a different way
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how about everyone who is making fun of Conor for his new shit shut the fuck up. You are all just ignorant and don't know anything about anything. Conor isn't ripping anyone off. Just because some people say they both suck at singing doesn't mean Conor is trying to be Dylan. If you watch the interview with Craig Ferguson on the Late Late Show, the Dylan comparison is brought up and Conor doesn't like it.
also, you can't say that Dylan is better, and you can't say Conor is better. its too subjective. besides, ive already have the whole cd, and it has songs like Clairaudients(Kill or be Killed) and If the Brakeman Turns My Way and Cleanse Song and actually 13 songs, and they are ALL great, so how about you all quit ripping on an artist for not changing. If you want to listen to a band that doesnt evolve and puts out 20 albums that all sound the same, listen to AC/DC.
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I'm actually really dissapointed in his new album. I have all of Conor Oberst's released music going back to 1995 to present on CD and vinyl(excluding Cassadaga). I listened to "Four Winds", "No one Would Riot For Less" and "Tourist Trap". None of it is what I would call true to Bright Eyes. Bright Eyes had a concert not long ago in my area and based on this new music I'm glad I missed it.
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I haven't heard much of the new cd yet although i got it like 2 weeks ago but this song isn't bad. def a new approach but thats what i've grown to expect from this guy.
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