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.
Tourist Trap
Bright Eyes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They tore some buildings down
The traffic's like a pack of dogs
There's fewer trees, windows, fleas
There's concrete on the lawn
There's people here but you are gone
Afraid some days I've reached the shore
"Make yourself free"
Man said back to me
Now my heart is like an open door
And the road finally gave me back
But I don't think I'll unpack
Because I'm not sure if I live here any more
It's not my weight that makes me faint
or the sugar in my blood
but the way these strangers stand so close
They say my name like a guessing game
"Is that really you?"
No, I don't think it ever was
In the spring
When the world's turning green
I only think about the fall
The frets on the board
My progression of chords
Oh, how I want this to resolve
And the road finally gave me back
But I don't think I'll unpack
Because I'm not sure if I live here any more
Now the road finally gave me back
But I don't think I'll unpack
Because I'm not sure if I live here
No, I'm not sure if I live here
No, I'm not sure if I live here
Anymore
The song "Tourist Trap" by Bright Eyes is a slow and haunting reflection of how a place can change over time and how a person's connection to it can also erode. The opening lines describe the physical changes to the place, the tearing down of buildings, the accumulation of traffic and the loss of greenery. The second part of the verse speaks of the absence of someone who was once there, someone who the singer misses. The singer grapples with the discomfort of feeling like a stranger in his former home, haunted by his memories. The strangers who surround him only further emphasize his feelings of disconnection. In the chorus, the singer develops a sense of acceptance and openness towards himself, but is still ambivalent about how he feels about the place he used to call home. The singer ends the song by acknowledging the inevitability of change, the cyclicality of life, and how even if the place has given him back his past, he is unsure if he can or wants to fully reclaim it.
The lyrics of "Tourist Trap" reveal the complicated relationship that people have with the places they call home. The song speaks to the feelings of nostalgia, alienation, and uncertainty that can arise when a person returns to a place that has undergone significant change. The singer's journey is one of grappling with his memories and trying to reconcile them with the present reality. On a larger scale, the song serves as a commentary on how neighborhoods and cities evolve and how the people who live there experience those changes.
Line by Line Meaning
It's not the road we used to know
The environment around us has changed a lot.
They tore some buildings down
Some structures that used to be here are now missing.
The traffic's like a pack of dogs
The vehicles on the road are moving aggressively and chaotically.
There's fewer trees, windows, fleas
There are less trees, windows, and pests around us now.
There's concrete on the lawn
The grass and natural surroundings have been paved over with concrete.
There's people here but you are gone
Although there are people around, the person we're addressing is no longer here.
And I find still swimming through time
I am still stuck in the past, reminiscing about the way things used to be.
Afraid some days I've reached the shore
I'm not sure if I can keep going, if I have the strength to carry on in this new world.
"Make yourself free"
Someone once told me to let go and not be held down.
Man said back to me
The person speaking was told this advice by another individual.
Now my heart is like an open door
I'm now more open and receptive to the world around me.
And the road finally gave me back
I've returned from a long journey or time away from this place.
But I don't think I'll unpack
I'm hesitant to fully settle back in and make this place my home.
Because I'm not sure if I live here any more
I'm unsure if this is still where I belong or if I fit into this new environment.
It's not my weight that makes me faint
The singer is not feeling physically unwell.
or the sugar in my blood
The artist's physical symptoms are not caused by low blood sugar.
but the way these strangers stand so close
The proximity of strangers is causing the artist to feel uncomfortable and anxious.
They say my name like a guessing game
When people call out to the singer, it feels like they're unsure if it's actually them or not.
"Is that really you?"
People are questioning whether or not the singer is who they say they are.
No, I don't think it ever was
The artist doesn't think they were ever truly themselves around these people.
In the spring
During the season of rebirth and renewal.
When the world's turning green
When plants and trees are coming back to life after the winter.
I only think about the fall
The singer is constantly thinking about endings and decay.
The frets on the board
The artist is referring to the guitar fretboard.
My progression of chords
How the singer is advancing musically with different chord progressions.
Oh, how I want this to resolve
The singer is longing for closure and resolution in their musical pursuits.
No, I'm not sure if I live here anymore
The singer still feels unsure of their place in this world.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: OBERST
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind