From The Dorks' Soundtrack: Music From Episode 63 - Man Butt

Music From Episode 63 - Man Butt

Artist - Bright Eyes

Song - At the Bottom of Everything

Album - I'm Wide Awake, it's Morning

There is something about the band Bright Eyes that makes people want to argue. Some people think that everything frontman Conor Oberst does is genius and that his 29 years belies his musical wisdom and his "old soul"; others think that he is a whiny emo good for nothing and that his songs are like what it must sound like when you try to drown a cat. I can't really say that I am of either camp. I think that a good sized percentage of Bright Eyes songs are really brilliant and beautiful while others are certainly not my taste. I think that anytime Conor and his band decide to tell a story that they bring an amazing level of craft and quality to each and every song. And thus the albums that are rife with those are clearly my favorites. albums like I'm Wide Awake, it's Morning and Cassadaga lead the pack and though I certainly appreciate the rest of their albums those two will always be my far and away favorites. 

When Conor Oberst released his most recent solo record it reminded me of the stuff from Bright Eyes that I loved the most and when I heard that he had a new record coming out soon I got excited and thought that I should probably take the opportunity to introduce people who might not be aware of the kind of really great music that he can produce to the many wonders that he encompasses. When Outer South comes out next week I think I will probably find myself rushing out and buying it ... but then again he is coming to Columbia later this summer and I might decide to wait and just get the record when I go to the show. Who knows. And when I think about the fact that there is a guy who is only about a year older than me who has already released around a dozen full length records it really blows my mind, and if in those dozen or so albums he hasn't wowed me with every song that is certainly no fault of his, I am a fickle music fan, at least mostly ... at least when it comes to the things I love ... and the things I don't ... like I said ... it's not his fault.