Omaha-raised indie alumni Bright Eyes have invited us into their homes yet again, marking the second time within 12 months; and this time, our plate is set for a feast at the Kids Table (Dead Oceans).
The band returns after Five Dice, All Threes with an eclectic and beautiful eight-song album (seven really, with one ambient intermission) and the result is as poise and poignant as ever.
Kids Table finds the band doing what they do best: exploring new sounds. But this time, it manages to stay close to home.
There is an air of familiarity in these tracks, a tinge of silvery-grey nostalgia outlining the majority of the release. It manages to be a sensible step forward in sound, while also maintaining the beautiful integrity we’ve seen since the formation of this band as a whole.
“Are you a good boy?,” “No, it’s not in my nature.” A film sample kicks off the title track as we slide into our seat at the proverbial Kids Table.
This track, besides it’s opening portion, immediately reminds me more of 2020’s Down In The Weeds Where The World Once Was, even though these tracks were penned around the exact same time as Five Dice, All Threes. It maintains the same “big” feel as the latter, but has a similar somber air to its predecessor.
“Carins (Where the Heart Belongs)” carries a sort of folky Americana magic reminiscent of something between 2002’s Lifted and 2005’s I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning with its lap steel guitar, wide open drums and precious keys.
While the ska-tinged “1st World Blues” doesn’t near the top of my list for this release, I commend the band for doing something new.
Bright Eyes have never been strangers to switching things up and doing whatever they want and this track is another show of that. A political statement backed by a horn section and ska groove, the track is an intriguing step away from the sounds of the rest of the EP.
Next, we receive a cover of Lucinda Williams’ “Sharp Cutting Wings (Song To a Poet),” and it is so beautifully sung and presented with such power; it’s easy to believe that Connor penned the song himself. It’s slow and gentle. It is intimate and sweet. It’s a perfect breakaway from the semi-cinematic emotion of the EP, thus far.
With the ambient film simple break of track five serving as an intermission, we are led into “Dyslexic Palindrome,” featuring Hurray For The Riff Raff.
This track turns the emotion up to ten. Beautiful bass, crying lap steel, gently tickled keys and shared vocals that merge into gorgeous harmonies.
“Shakespeare in a Nutshell” throws us back to the energy found in the latter half of Five Dice, All Threes. It is jazzy, spacious and weary—a very open air minimalistic instrumentation and soft sweet harmonies tie together this track. It almost feels like a soft step back to the vibes of 2005’s Digital Ash In A Digital Urn or even The People’s Key.
We wrap up the album with “Victory City,” which feels like a slight glimmer of hope at the end of a dark tunnel, and at that it is still somber, just tinged with an air of hope.
The last half finds the energy rising with crashing drums, a cinematic crescendo of maddened guitars and percussions. It is beautiful, it’s explosive. It is genuine.
Bright Eyes have shown us yet again what they are still capable of after all of these years, and it is plenty impressive.
It’s rare that a band of this stature and genre can still provide such incredible music this many years in, but it’s evident that Bright Eyes shows no signs of slowing down.
Get out and secure your copy of Kids Table on Sept. 26; if you’re a longtime fan, you’ll find no regret.
Rating
4.1/5
Favorite Tracks
“Carins (Where the Heart Belongs)”
“Dyslexic Palindrome”
Get Album Here
https://brighteyes.merchtable.com/music/
https://brighteyes.bandcamp.com/
Tracklist
1) Kids Table
2) Cairns (When Your Heart Belongs To Everyone)
3) 1st World Blues
4) Sharp Cutting Wings (Song To A Poet)
5) It Always Feels Good And It Never Hurts
6) Dyslexic Palindrome (feat. Hurray For The Riff Raff)
7) Shakespeare In A Nutshell
8) Victory City
Tour Dates
https://www.thisisbrighteyes.com/tour
Bright Eyes
Conor Oberst, Mike Mogis, Nate Walcott
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Photo: Mario Heller
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