Saddle Creek also released Letting Off the Happiness in November 1998, a ten-track record that boasted a much more focused and clear sound than the previous album. According to the Saddle Creek press release, it features members of Lullaby for the Working Class, Neutral Milk Hotel, and Of Montreal. It was predominantly recorded in the Oberst family basement in Omaha on an analog eight track reel to reel; with some work also done at keyboardist Andy Lemaster's Athens, GA studio. Although almost all of the tracks feature a full band, June on the West Coast is performed with only acoustic guitar and vocals. Padraic My Prince gives a dramatic fictional account of the death of Oberst's imagined baby brother.
In 2000 Bright Eyes released Fevers and Mirrors, a demonstration of the immense improvement in production quality and musical vision of the band. New instruments such as flute, piano, and accordion were introduced into the song arrangements. After An Attempt to Tip the Scales, a mock radio interview takes place. The mock radio interview features Todd Fink of The Faint doing an impression of Conor Oberst while reading a script that Oberst wrote. The man interviewing is Matt Silcock, a former member of Lullaby for the Working Class. In this interview, the fake Oberst intentionally presents a strange, contradictory explanation of his attitude towards his music. The interview acknowledges criticisms of his lyrics as overblown and insincere, which had begun to appear as the popularity of the band increased, but responds by stating that the lyrics are meant for personal interpretation. In a 'real' interview with KittyMagik.com, Oberst stated about the mock one: "It was a way to make fun of ourselves because the record is such a downer. I mean, that's one part of who I am, but I also like laughing and fucking around."
2002 saw the release of Lifted or The Story Is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground, and since then Oberst has released an almost constant stream of new material on collaborative EPs, split singles, tribute albums, and charity records. He ventured into the studio with Nebraska folk-pop outfit Tilly And The Wall, co-producing their debut album Wild Like Children and released it on his newly established record label, Team Love.
January 2005 saw the release of two albums: I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning, which is a country-tinged mélange of Conor’s finest acoustic songs, featuring guest vocal appearances from Emmylou Harris and Jim James of My Morning Jacket; and Digital Ash In A Digital Urn, which is a more produced, electronic album featuring cameo appearances by Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
One single from each album, Take It Easy (Love Nothing) from Digital Ash and Lua from I'm Wide Awake took the top two slots on Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart, the first time for any artist since 1997.
As had become expected of Bright Eyes recordings, the albums feature an array of talented comrades including members of Rilo Kiley, Tilly And The Wall, Cursive, Now Its Overhead, The Good Life, Azure Ray, The Faint, The Bruces, Neva Dinova, The Postal Service and Audrye Sessions.
In October 2006, Bright Eyes released a compilation of rare tracks called Noise Floor: Rarities 1998-2005.
Bright Eyes released their sixth studio album called Cassadaga on April 9, 2007, preceded by an EP entitled Four Winds on March 6, 2007.
A further 25-30 tracks have been recorded in Portland, Oregon and New York City, with another session planned in Omaha, Nebraska. Some of these tracks had already been performed at live shows.
On February 15, 2011, the band released their seventh studio album, The People's Key.
On June 22, 2020, they released Down In The Weeds Where The World Once Was, their first album on Dead Oceans after a long history with Saddle Creek.
A Poetic Retelling of an Unfortunate Seduction
Bright Eyes Lyrics
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Seems to represent the light source well
How soft they speak and seem to be at peace
With the music and the madness that is pulling me into this
And the shades of the lamps are woven red
The light, it stains and consecrates
Anointing all forgotten forms that swirl and smoke
The girls in gowns all nurse the dark
Pulling it near to their swelling breasts
And watch as it seeps to their hearts
And beats within their virgin chests
And here I know seduction breeds
From wanton hearts that would seduce
And grows and spreads it's vine and leaves
Embracing those who might have moved
But now remain to drink the night from vials black and thick
With intoxicating delights would leave you drunk
Inside this dream
And you watch them take the light from you
And you find yourself on a velvet couch
Tasting the skin of a foreign girl
Her eyes are black and wet like oil
And she ties your hands with a string of pearls
And you tremble like a frightened bird
As she closes in and captures you to place you
In a silver cage deep within her poisoned womb
So once you're safe inside, she might let you out
To fly in circles around the room
But it's always night and there is no moon
And you wonder if you are still alive
And you're not sure if you want to be
But you drink her sweat like it was wine
And you lay with her on a bed of blue
And it's awful sweet
Like the fruit she cuts and feeds to you
The lyrics of Bright Eyes's song "A Poetic Retelling of an Unfortunate Seduction" can be interpreted in many ways, as each listener may have a unique understanding of the poetic imagery that Conor Oberst evokes. The song opens with an image of a dimly lit space, where the language spoken by those present reflects the quality of the light source. The softness and tranquility of these voices lures the listener in, despite the music and madness swirling around them.
The shades of the lamps in this space are described as woven red, creating a sense of mystery and enchantment. The light itself is sanctified, anointing long-forgotten forms that haunt this place. The young women present in this scene are dressed in gowns and nurse the darkness, letting it seep into their hearts and beat within their chests. The seduction referenced in the song stems from these "wanton hearts," which would lure unsuspecting visitors into their realm.
As the song progresses, the listener is drawn deeper into this alternate reality. The imagery becomes more surreal and dreamlike, as the listener finds himself on a velvet couch, tied up with a string of pearls by a mysterious woman with black, wet eyes. He trembles like a frightened bird as she captures him and places him in a silver cage deep within her "poisoned womb." Although the listener is unsure if he is still alive, he drinks the woman's sweat and eats the fruit she feeds him, unable to resist her allure.
Overall, "A Poetic Retelling of an Unfortunate Seduction" is a haunting and intriguing song that speaks to the power of desire and seduction. The lyrics are rich with poetic imagery, allowing listeners to interpret the story in their own unique way.
Line by Line Meaning
The language in the dimmer rooms
The way people speak in the darker rooms is fitting to the atmosphere
Seems to represent the light source well
Their softness embodies the music and madness pulling me into them
How soft they speak and seem to be at peace
Their gentle and tranquil voices hypnotize me
With the music and the madness that is pulling me into this
Being pulled towards a chaotic yet enticing environment
And the shades of the lamps are woven red
The red lamps cast a warm, seductive glow
The light, it stains and consecrates
The light's stain is welcome and sacrosanct
Anointing all forgotten forms that swirl and smoke
Everything in the smoky haze is sanctified through light
And haunt this place
The sensations seem ever-present
The girls in gowns all nurse the dark
These women embrace their inner darkness
Pulling it near to their swelling breasts
Their love of darkness is consuming
And watch as it seeps to their hearts
Their darkness envelopes them
And beats within their virgin chests
Their hearts, untouched by darkness before, now palpitate with it
And here I know seduction breeds
This is a place ripe for seduction
From wanton hearts that would seduce
Willful hearts seeking to tempt
And grows and spreads it's vine and leaves
The seduction spreads like a plant
Embracing those who might have moved
Any movement is futile in this embrace
But now remain to drink the night from vials black and thick
The only option left is to indulge in the temptation
With intoxicating delights would leave you drunk
The temptations are so strong they will inebriate you
Inside this dream
This seduction is surreal
And you watch them take the light from you
Your energy is being absorbed by the seduction
And you find yourself on a velvet couch
The seduction has fully taken hold, and you are on the verge of surrender
Tasting the skin of a foreign girl
Experiencing something new and forbidden
Her eyes are black and wet like oil
Her eyes exude an alluring, hypnotic quality
And she ties your hands with a string of pearls
You are tied to the seduction, unable to resist
And you tremble like a frightened bird
You're scared to realize the full implications of surrendering
As she closes in and captures you to place you
You know there is no escape
In a silver cage deep within her poisoned womb
You are trapped, covered by her darkness and seduction
So once you're safe inside, she might let you out
Only she has control, and only she can let you go
To fly in circles around the room
Any movement is carefully watched and controlled
But it's always night and there is no moon
You are lost in a world that is unfamiliar and unpredictable
And you wonder if you are still alive
You're not sure what remains of you in this surreal world of temptation
And you're not sure if you want to be
Though you're seduced, you're also unsure
But you drink her sweat like it was wine
You indulge and give in to her darkness and temptation
And you lay with her on a bed of blue
You revel in the actual seduction, overwhelmed with your new-found sensations
And it's awful sweet
Temptation brings a sweetness that's almost too much to bear
Like the fruit she cuts and feeds to you
It's a fruit that you couldn't resist even if you tried
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: OBERST, Conor Oberst
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind