Bright Eyes - Cassadaga

By: Nigel Clarke

Tuesday May 01, 2007

Cassadaga is a spiritualist community located in southern Florida. It's inhabitants seek spiritual enlightenment and choose to live in an area with people who are the same.

When Bright Eyes (Conor Oberst, Mike Mogis, Maria Taylor and Andy LeMaster) chose to name their most recent effort, Cassadaga, it may have made reference to the state of the group or at least the state of talented writer and vocalist Conor Oberst, who produces a spiritual log of his travels.

Cassadaga is a worthwhile effort, though it lacks cohesion and it sounds as though Bright Eyes is struggling to decide which direction it wants to go, musically speaking. It comes across as being more country and folk on songs such as "Four Winds," "Soul Singer" and "Middleman." Then more progressively "indie" on "Make a Plan to Love Me" where backup vocalist Maria Taylor displays her powerful and sultry singing style.

So, while this album displays the group's creative talent, it isn't the best they can do. A move in a more concrete direction and a decision on what genre of music the songs belong to, whether it's indie or folk, would help. When that happens, Bright Eyes will truly reach Cassadaga and perhaps spiritual enlightenment. Bright Eyes, it may be time to leave Nebraska for good.

Bright Eyes - "No One Would Riot For Less" - Live at the University at Buffalo Center for the Arts