JAN/FEB 2011 ISSUE JAN/FEB 2011 ISSUE JAN/FEB 2011 ISSUE MMUSICMAG.COM Q&A

make different-sounding records—staying on it. My goal was to have it fi t on one piece couldn’t have done it without them, but interested in what we’re doing, not just of vinyl—which tops at about 45 minutes— there was a little mystery about what repeating ourselves or painting by numbers. and that was one song some of us didn’t exactly was going on. This batch of songs refl ects my interests at think fi t with the others. It was too normal- the time I was writing them. sounding. At the 11th hour, we started trying Is this a political record? to make it more expansive or trippy. We put It’s probably a subtext to all the music I When were these songs written? delay on the clap track so it doesn’t sound make, because it’s hard to divorce yourself They were written over the last year and a half, like claps anymore, and our friend Laura from the world entirely. I don’t think there’s and it’s different than other records in that Burhenn sang a bunch of harmonies—and anything overtly political on this album there wasn’t tons of material. We focused that was the magic dust we needed for it to except for a humanist stance—that we on revising and editing. We really wanted stay on the record. should try to see ourselves in each other, to make a record that was concise and tied we’re all one, and all these ideas of division together. We’re slightly old-fashioned in that Were there a lot of those revisions? are illusions. That could be seen as a we still believe in making an album somebody Working with a batch will sit down and listen to as a piece of of songs for nine music. I know that’s not common these days, months, you go but that’s still our intention. This record is through phases hopefully something that is enjoyable to where you’re not as spend 45 minutes with. into things. We’d go to our corners, Did your other projects infl uence you? listen to the works A lot of whatever I’m doing at the time is a in progress and reaction against what I’ve just done. The get back together. Mystic Valley Band has a good-time live Mike would want to feel, and there are a lot of songs about change the drums on seeing the world through a windshield. something, or Nate That’s cool, but I knew I didn’t want would want to redo this to be that. I was looking for a new all his keyboards on language, in a way. Lyrically speaking, it’s a song and have a more coded and opaque than some of my whole new melodic more narrative songs. motif. I don’t know

Butch Walker Butch what made them How did the sound develop? feel that way, It took a while. I had more of a sense at but I tried to give fi rst of what I didn’t want. I wanted to steer everyone time and BRIGHT EYES clear of any kind of Americana- or folk- or space to follow their country-driven sound. I felt burned out on ideas to their Conor Oberst and company reinvent themselves once again that. On folk and country songs, there’s conclusions. this circular quality to the melodies, where COULD BRIGHT EYES BE DOOMED? Outer South, backed by the Mystic Valley in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground, they come back around and start and end What did your Rumors of the indie-rock powerhouse’s Band), collaborated with Jim James and M. and 2005’s less acclaimed dalliance in the same way. This time I wanted to color guests bring to it? demise spread like wildfi re when frontman Ward in the Monsters of Folk and built a electronica, Digital Ash in a Digital Urn. For with a different palette, I wanted more pop This record, more Conor Oberst said in an interview that he recording studio in Omaha, where Bright The People’s Key, the band paid particular melodies. So we dove in and made some than any of our others, had been thinking about bringing the band to Eyes recorded its latest, The People’s Key. attention to building songs around outlines aesthetic choices right away, like we’re was very insulated. an end. But fans can relax—for now, at least. Oberst and Bright Eyes partners Mike Mogis Oberst had written. He spoke with us about going to use analog ’80s synths, which Most of what you “I was probably feeling that way that day,” he and Nate Walcott (the only other permanent creative process, embracing ’80s synths and gives you a certain color—but we didn’t hear was recorded says. “But we’re just focused on getting the members) enjoyed the leisurely pace that the role of politics in songwriting. want it to sound like a retro album. We were by Mike, Nate, me On The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, September 2007 new record out and doing the tour. That’s working in their own studio afforded. “The trying to fi nd something that maintained the and our friend Andy Margaret Norton/NBCU Photo Bank going to take most of the next year—after only pressure or deadlines we had were self- What defi nes a Bright Eyes song? essence of our band and worked with the LeMaster, who sang that, we’ll see what happens.” imposed,” Oberst says. “Just being able to Songs need to fi t the album, but I don’t songs, but also was new to us. It took a and helped engineer it. ‘We still believe in It’s not as though Oberst is lacking for take time and revisit ideas let us be on our categorize them as solo songs or Bright while to arrive at that balance, and I think we He was a big part of the record. outside opportunities. Since Bright Eyes’ own planet for a little while.” Eyes songs. One thing I’m proud of with eventually got there. Everyone else—not to diminish making an album 2007 release, Cassadaga, the Nebraska Previous transmissions from Planet the band is that we’ve always managed to their roles—but they were kind native has released two albums under Bright Eyes have included 2002’s acclaimed change. Some of it’s the songwriting, more How much did the songs evolve? of in and out. It was like, “OK, somebody will listen to his own name (most recently 2009’s folk-rock collection, Lifted or the Story Is is about arranging and, stylistically, trying to A lot. “Triple Spiral,” for example, started off come play the drums, come as a piece of music.’ like a straightforward Pixies or Frank Black play the bass,” and the songs were rock song. It still retains some of that, and often in pieces. It was like having we lived with that version for a while. But as an actor come in and do their scene political statement, I suppose, but to me it’s ‘We were trying to fi nd something that maintained we were sequencing the record, there were when they don’t know what the movie is just common sense. the essence of our band, but was new to us.’ disagreements over what songs should go about. They did a great job, and we –Eric R. Danton

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