Culture

“Dear Conor Oberst. You will need more than zany samples to escape the emotional songwriting heartthrob box you have previously been so keen on.”
(2/5)
Clearly forgetting he announced his wishes to “retire” the Bright Eyes moniker in 2009, and after a small solo detour, the eternal emo-poet Conor Oberst returns to Bright Eyes on The People’s Key. Historically typified by their emotionally charged acoustic folk, The People’s Key sees the band departing towards an electronically assisted modern rock sound, likely an attempt to expand their fan base. Thematically linked together through a deep baritone voiceover, opening track “Firewall” sets the scene with a catchy, lightly picked electric guitar and deep, almost orchestral, drums. Sadly as the layering on the track progresses, satisfaction decreases. With faux new wave synths and strings added, the track begins to sound laughable, losing almost all emotional impact (one of Oberst’s strengths). This flaw continues throughout with many tracks sounding like a failed attempt to cover The Postal Service. With so much addition and reinvention, it’s surprising the most difficult aspect of The People’s Key is a missing presence; that of Oberst himself. Gone are the songs of personal audience and artist closeness and instead a cold modern feel is omnipresent. No longer is Oberst expressing himself for personal contact with the listener, instead he seems to be failing to chase an audience. Booooring.