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.
Contrast and Compare
Bright Eyes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Between the busy ones
And the ones that don't care
Until there is no one
That you really know
So I drift through these days
Of appointments and promises made
They will all end up broken
Weeks are slow, days drag on
Even practice and parties seem long
But I found myself going
I guess there's nothing to do
Oh well
Group of kids, line of cars
More will show up after the bars close
There's this boredom that drowns everything
Bottles break, music plays
Conversations competing for space
I look for a corner or a quieter room
There's no heat in this house
I can't breath with these words in my mouth
But I'm not going to say them
Yeah, I've made that mistake before
On the stairs, she grabs my arm
Says, "Whats up, where you been
Is something wrong?"
I try to just smile
And say, "Everything's fine"
The lyrics to Bright Eyes's Contrast and Compare explore the contrast between people who live busy lives and those who don't seem to care. The singer reflects on how, despite living in a world full of people, he still feels alone and disconnected. He resents the superficiality of his life, filled with endless appointments and broken promises. The song's melancholic melody accentuates the singer's detachment and disillusionment, as he succumbs to the never-ending cycle of emptiness and boredom. He longs for a deeper human connection, but all he finds is a faint echo of himself in others.
The second part of the song takes us to a party where the singer finds himself out of place and lonely, despite being surrounded by people. The slow and monotonous rhythm of the weeks makes him feel like he's stuck in a rut, and even social gatherings like parties fail to alleviate his boredom. He observes how the noise and chaos of the party hide the emptiness and lack of meaning behind it all. In this ocean of shallow conversations and meaningless activities, he searches for a quiet corner where he can be alone with his thoughts, but even there, he can't escape the feeling of isolation that's eating him alive.
Overall, Contrast and Compare is a poignant criticism of modern society's obsession with productivity and material success, which has resulted in a profound sense of existential emptiness and loneliness. The song speaks to anyone who has felt lost and unfulfilled in a world where everyone is too busy to look beyond their own lives. It's a reminder that, in the end, human connections are what truly matter, and that we should cultivate them instead of drowning them out with noise and distractions.
Line by Line Meaning
Contrast and compare
Let's compare and contrast.
Between the busy ones
Let's compare busy people to people who aren't as busy.
And the ones that don't care
Let's also compare people who care to those who don't.
Until there is no one
Let's keep comparing and contrasting until we can't tell anyone apart anymore.
That you really know
Until we can't differentiate people we know well from strangers.
So I drift through these days
I spend my days aimlessly and without direction.
Of appointments and promises made
Despite having a schedule and making plans, I still feel unfulfilled.
They will all end up broken
All these plans will eventually fall apart.
And quickly replaced
But new plans will arise just as quickly.
Weeks are slow, days drag on
Time moves slowly and each day feels like a burden.
Even practice and parties seem long
Even things I used to enjoy seem monotonous and tiresome.
But I found myself going
Despite feeling bored, I still attend events and activities.
I guess there's nothing to do
Perhaps I attend these things because I have nothing else to do.
Oh well
I don't really care one way or the other.
Group of kids, line of cars
A gathering of young people and cars parked in a row.
More will show up after the bars close
More people will come once the bars close for the night.
There's this boredom that drowns everything
A sense of boredom that pervades every aspect of life.
Bottles break, music plays
Amid the boredom, music plays and bottles are broken.
Conversations competing for space
People talking over each other, trying to be heard.
I look for a corner or a quieter room
I try to find a place where I can escape the noise and chaos.
There's no heat in this house
The artist is in a cold, uncomfortable environment.
I can't breath with these words in my mouth
The artist feels suffocated and can't speak freely.
But I'm not going to say them
Despite feeling trapped, the singer won't voice their concerns.
Yeah, I've made that mistake before
The artist has made the mistake of speaking their mind in the past and won't make the same mistake again.
On the stairs, she grabs my arm
Someone interrupts the singer's thoughts by grabbing their arm on the stairs.
Says, "Whats up, where you been
The person asks the singer where they've been and what's going on.
Is something wrong?"
They ask if the singer is okay and if something is troubling them.
I try to just smile
The artist doesn't want to reveal their true feelings so they put on a smile.
And say, "Everything's fine"
The artist lies and says everything is okay when it's not.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Conor Oberst
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Gavin Solis
My favorite indie artists always find their way to conor oberst. Phoebe, Katie, David bazan. What a force!!
ninerknight
Is there a collab with Conor and Bazan?
John burroughs.
@ninerknight I think they just toured together. If I remember correctly, Dave took Bright Eyes and Death Cab out on tour as the opening acts when PTL was the bigger band.
Transient Vultures
Except Phoebe RUINED my favorite Bright Eyes tune..
C Hiebert
@ninerknight this had me buzzing too haha
Rabbit
I'm really glad they reunited and continue releasing songs like this. I hope they continue til the end.
Shawn Bauer
there is no comparison to any other human being, the way in which i love Conor Oberst. Conor you have influenced me and showed me love and emotion like i never dreamed possible. My heart is forever with you.
Timothy Smith
I think more bands should re-record old songs. It really connects with longtime fans in a new way. This is something special.
Chasing Chevy
Damn, this is amazing. This album is going to be such a treat!
Caetano Melo
Conor's music really hits deep.