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.
Supriya
Bright Eyes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A voice flooded by the piercing and the sounds of distant lands
Silence is my heart
I carry out my cross
While the son suffers away
The clouds reveal the chariots of Venus
Restrictions of time and space retile
And I can see I'm in heaven
With her flesh in my arms
Easy the undeniable
The misery of my lack of truth
With the truth of love
In "Supriya", Bright Eyes contemplates the agony and emotional withdrawal that come with distance and separation from a loved one. The opening lines paint a picture of someone whose wellbeing is disrupted by their feelings, highlighting the destructive nature of humanity's emotional capacity. The second line is a metaphor, comparing the overwhelming sensations of longing and pain to the piercing sounds of distant lands that flood the singer's mind. The following lines reveal that in the midst of such agony, the singer's heart is silent; perhaps it's numb and unable to feel the full extent of their suffering.
The line "I carry out my cross" is an allusion to the Christian symbol of carrying a cross as a painful burden, suggesting the singer is overwhelmed with his or her struggles. Meanwhile, the "son suffers away" reference is likely a reference to Jesus Christ's suffering, further highlighting the Christian undertones throughout this song.
The singer's thoughts shift to a brighter moment, where they can see that they are in heaven with their loved one, holding them so closely it seems like they can feel their flesh. The line "easy the undeniable" describes how natural and obvious it feels to be with this person, despite the previous difficulty they've experienced. The last lines, "the misery of my lack of truth with the truth of love" give insight into the singer's struggle of being honest with themselves, as they are finally embracing the truth of their love and are no longer in denial.
Line by Line Meaning
Agony and withdraw disrupt my wellbeing
My mental state is suffering due to great emotional pain and withdrawal.
A voice flooded with the piercing and the sounds of distant lands
I am overwhelmed with intrusive thoughts and the noise of faraway places.
Silence is my heart
I am emotionally numb and cannot feel any joy or love.
I carry out my cross
I am dealing with my own personal burden and struggles.
While the son suffers away
As Jesus suffers on the cross, I am also dealing with my own pain and suffering.
The clouds reveal the chariots of Venus
Despite my distress, I can still find beauty and wonder in the world.
Restrictions of time and space retile
As I experience hardships, I feel trapped and limited by the boundaries of time and space.
While her bright eyes burn through my exploding heart
The intense emotions that I feel for my lover are overwhelming and all-consuming.
And I can see I’m in heaven
When I am with my lover, I feel completely happy and at peace.
With her flesh in my arms
Holding my lover makes me feel safe and fulfilled.
Easy the undeniable
My love for my partner is unquestionable and feels effortless.
The misery of my lack of truth
I am unhappy because I haven’t been honest with myself or others about my emotions.
With the truth of love
I know that being truthful about my love will bring me happiness and fulfillment.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind