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.
Solid Jackson
Bright Eyes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She's forgotten what real love is like
And as the basement collects more kids off the street
They smoke themselves to death waiting for the band to begin
They have been tuning up there for an hour now
And I don't think I can stand another minute more
But just then the first chord strums
And I know what I have been waiting around for
Because no one's going home until the morning comes
No one's going to sleep until the sun comes up
Did you hear those first two songs?
They were fucking touch
And the band is not going to stop until the cops show up
So hold your applause until the end
And wait for the sadness to set in
Because that's the only feeling that's worth it
He say he's done with the pop music scene
There's too many opinions and so few are worth a shit
He has got to learn to act a little more mean
Because the mean ones always end up with the record deals
And it is only when I'm angry that I feel complete
When we are screaming at each other is when I am most happy
I hang out with my friends and then I get depressed
And I drink myself to sleep with any strength that is left
And I quit going to church a year ago
And my teachers think that my faith is gone
But I can do with the eucharist because I found god
In a solid Jackson song
In "Solid Jackson" by Bright Eyes, the lyrics describe the experience of watching a band play in a basement while people smoke and wait for the music to begin. The singer is enthusiastic about the performance, describing it as "fucking touch" and expressing excitement that the band won't stop playing until the cops show up. However, the tone shifts in the second half of the song, as the singer reflects on their own life and relationships. They describe feeling incomplete unless they are angry and fighting with someone, and they mention drinking themselves to sleep. The song ends on a hopeful note, however, as the singer says they have found god in a Solid Jackson song.
The lyrics of "Solid Jackson" capture the excitement and anticipation of live music, as well as the way that music can provide an escape from daily life. However, the song also acknowledges the darker side of human nature, including addiction, codependency, and a search for meaning. Ultimately, though, the song suggests that music can be a source of spiritual sustenance despite life's challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
She says she's read too many fashion magazine
She's consumed too much media that teaches her unrealistic expectations leading to dissatisfaction.
She's forgotten what real love is like
Because of these expectations, she's lost touch with true affection and intimacy.
And as the basement collects more kids off the street
They smoke themselves to death waiting for the band to begin
The youths are filling the empty void of their lives with toxic habits and addiction as they wait for something exciting to happen.
They have been tuning up there for an hour now
And I don't think I can stand another minute more
But just then the first chord strums
And the drums set in
And I know what I have been waiting around for
The anticipation leading up to the concert has been trying, but as soon as the music starts, the waiting makes sense and intensifies the emotions the music brings.
Because no one's going home until the morning comes
No one's going to sleep until the sun comes up
Did you hear those first two songs?
They were fucking touch
And the band is not going to stop until the cops show up
The concert-goers are committed to staying all night to soak in every moment of the music alongside like-minded people. The band's energy is so electric that they won't stop until they're forced to.
So hold your applause until the end
And wait for the sadness to set in
Because that's the only feeling that's worth it
The climax of the performance is the most noteworthy moment, but the inevitable melancholy that sets in afterward is the most significant emotion to experience.
He say he's done with the pop music scene
There's too many opinions and so few are worth a shit
He has got to learn to act a little more mean
Pop music has lost its value because so many people have opinions but lack substance. Being tough seems to be the only way to get ahead in the industry.
Because the mean ones always end up with the record deals
And it is only when I'm angry that I feel complete
When we are screaming at each other is when I am most happy
The only way to succeed in the industry is to be cutthroat. The artist thrives on conflict and negativity, which actually gives him a sense of fulfillment.
I hang out with my friends and then I get depressed
And I drink myself to sleep with any strength that is left
And I quit going to church a year ago
And my teachers think that my faith is gone
In his social life, he finds himself in a state of sadness and turns to alcohol to numb the pain. He's given up his faith despite what others may think.
But I can do with the eucharist because I found god
In a solid Jackson song
Although he's distanced himself from formal religion, he's still able to have a spiritual experience through music, particularly in the music of Solid Jackson's band.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: OBERST, Conor Oberst
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind