Bright Eyes - The People's Key

For Bright Eyes' seventh album, and first since Conor Oberst took time off to start his Monsters of Folk project, Oberst has said that it will focus less on the folk and country sounds that made him famous and will have more of a rock and electronic tinge to it. Although it's clear from one listen of The People's Key that Oberst hasn't completely given up on folk-rock (see the alt-country twang of opening track, "Firewall"), he wasn't kidding when he said he wanted to make a more rock-sounding record. From the rapidfire lyric delivery of "Shell Games," to the catastrophic chiming guitars of "Jejune Stars," to the organ and crashing cymbals of "Triple Spiral," Oberst may be turning 31 this month, but he's not any less spirited than he was in his youth. Instead of settling down and making a pretty record, Oberst shows fans that he's still angry and the spoken word bits that are placed throughout the album encapsulate his feelings, especially this line from the opening track: "The problems of the future can be solved by mankind because we created them." As he did with 2007's Cassadaga, Oberst is moving away from writing about himself and expanding to a worldly viewpoint instead. Although his earlier work is some of his best, no one wants to hear a thirty-year-old whine about life, so Oberst's lyrical shift is clearly for the best. Thankfully, his music doesn't suffer and The People's Key proves to be another staple in his prolific catalog.

DOWNLOAD: Bright Eyes - The People's Key [Saddle Creek]
Recommended Tracks: "Shell Games," "Jejune Stars," "Haile Selassie," "Triple Spiral."