Conor Oberst is leading us into the black, black rabbit hole once again with his newest Bright Eyes compilation "Noise Floor," consisting of rarities from 1998-2005 as well as a couple of unreleased songs. Pulling tracks from EPs, split CDs and singles, this album not only serves as an answer to the long-winded searches for songs we heard only in concert but also as a comprehensive look at the span of Bright Eyes’ musical anthology.
With this fourth full-length CD in two years (and ninth overall), Oberst has brought us an array of harmonies and anthems to paint vivid images as in the bleak folk gem “Devil Town,” which was originally released on "The Late Great Daniel Johnston" compilation from 2004. The track slowly progresses from merely two voices and claps to keep the beat, to acoustic guitar accompaniment and followed by a full band, finally resolving by going back to the voices once again – taking you back to the beginning and a simpler time. With lyrics like “All my friends were vampires/I didn’t know they were vampires/It turns out I was a vampire myself in the Devil Town,” the simplicity of (and pessimism toward) human nature is easy to see and hard to deny.
Instead of reminding ourselves of the stigmatic “emo-godfather” label Oberst has been cursed with, observe what this new album does for the wimpy image. The two previously unreleased tracks on this album, “Weather Reports” and “Seashell Tale,” which feature M Ward, are stunning melodies that do less of the haunting and more of the wise-man-telling-a-story. Both are more harmonious and less reliant on Oberst’s voice to carry the story, especially with the use of more voices and instruments. Many people have spoken of Oberst as the modern-day Bob Dylan, with his folk tendencies and political ramblings, and these tracks certainly help the image. Would you be so brazen as to call Mr. Dylan emotional or wimpy?
Now take those folksy and rambling songs and add some Bright Eyes staples, like “Happy Birthday to Me (Feb. 15)” and “Soon You Will Be Leaving Your Man,” both from previous releases, as well as a touch of organ-driven music in “I Will Be Grateful for this Day” – and you’ve got a seriously eclectic album. The best times are had with “Bad Blood,” taken from a split with The Album Leaf, a track reminiscent of their atmospheric melodies. Oberst celebrates rather than complains about the promise of life, and advises to “Fill your hands with something tangible/Fly your love like a flag.”At the young age of 26 and with eight full-length albums already under his belt, Oberst is probably more familiar with the good things life has to offer than the rest of us. And after so much work, a collection of familiar but ridiculously difficult to find tracks seems to be just what us fans have been waiting for. For those who have only dappled in the Bright Eyes realm, this album is a great way to get a feel for Oberst’s unique, folksy musical trappings through his progression over the years. There is something for everybody in this album. Even if it makes you realize this isn’t the music for you, you would have surveyed a spectrum of his work fairly, and decided properly. I say, pick up this album and take a listen. You’ll have a great time with it. You will.
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