Critiques CD: Bright Eyes | The People’s Key

Conor Oberst is back with a more upbeat pop-rock update to his typically emo-folk songwriting style. Featuring occasional interludes of a deep-voiced man talking about nonsensical notions of existentialism, the cosmos set to seething synths in post-rock fashion, Oberst sings his characteristically poetic lyrics with a vintage echo to clarion electric guitars and submerged percussions, along with sudden outbursts of electric strings. Produced with a careful balance of clean and reverberant sound and hailing unexpected influences from ‘70s rock to ‘80s synthpop and new wave, Oberst’s conspicuous experimentation is hit-or-miss from track to track.