Product Description

America's enfant terrible-cum-cause celebre of garage alt. country, Conor Oberst, follows up 2002's 'Lifted...' album by "doing a Guns n' Roses" and releasing two new albums on the same day (this one and 'I'm Wide Awake It's Morning'). This is the experimental release, wherein Bright Eyes' Dylanesque folk is sampled, chopped up, deconstructed and saturated in electronic glitches. The result has baffled the critics, with some comparing it to Radiohead's 'Kid A'.

Track Listing

1. Time Code
2. Gold Mine Gutted
3. Arc of Time (Time Code)
4. Down In A Rabbit Hole
5. Take It Easy (Love Nothing)
6. Hit The Switch
7. I Believe In Symmetry
8. Devil In The Details
9. Ship In A Bottle
10. Light Pollution
11. Theme From Pinata
12. Easy/Lucky/Free

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #26142 in Music
• Released on: 2005-01-24
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
There is always a problem with releasing two albums on one day. Of the two, Digital Ash In A Digital Urn is the trickier to digest- per the title , the sound is mostly created ore from heavy drum loops, metallic percussion, clicks, pops and buzzing synths, coupled with the distressed, cracked voice that appeals and dismays in equal measures. The sound-effect laden "Time Code" sets the scene for an album of clanking twists and turns, reaching fine apexes in "Arc Of Time" and the bouncy "Hit The Switch" that are less melodic and more ominous than their "Wide Awake" counterparts, but more rewarding, and this is probably the album the fans will prefer.

In this case, both as good as any previous album (and, given Conor Oberst's previous form, that's a high benchmark to compare with), but inevitably, as Bruce Springsteen has found, they will be forever compared with one another. Thankfully, there isn't a difference in quality between these two albums, more a difference in approach, which makes for equal, delightful brilliance. The domination of the US singles chart ("Take It Easy" at #2, and "Lua" at #1 simultaneously) suggests that both could be equal hits, and deservedly so. --Thom Allott

Customer Reviews

deep dark clever
If you like deep, dark and clever things you will like this. If you think life's a lonely road you will love this. If you have issues with faith and women you will not play anything else for weeks. 'Wide awake' is a fantastic and more tuneful/guitary accompaniment to this.

Ashes to urn
"Digital Ash in a Digital Urn" seems like an appropriate name for this album, one of two Bright Eyes has released in early 2005. It's about time and death, and it's swamped in digital music. Indie-rock's golden boy Conor Oberst lets out his inner Thom Yorke in this experimental album, which retains a dark, rough edge but doesn't quite measure up to Oberst's other work.

This time around, Oberst's mournful songs are dressed up in artful synth. Think of this as Bright Eyes' "Kid A" -- an experimental album that may herald a whole new direction for Bright Eyes, or may just be Oberst diddling around in the studio. "Digital Ash" takes some time to get moving, but is breathtaking when it finally does.

While "I'm Wide Awake It's Morning" has a stripped-down, warmer sound, "Digital Ash" is darker and colder -- part gritty rock, part new wave. Its heart is "I Believe in Symmetry," a jagged rock song with a transcendent climax. It's accompanied by the symphonic prettiness of "Gold Mine Gutted," and the cacophonic pop of "Take It Easy (Love Nothing)."

Oberst often overdoes it with all the synth and swelling soundscapes, with some very choppy beats put in. Regular instruments like a snare drum, acoustic guitar and strings keep it grounded. But despite the acoustic instruments, the dense electronic blips take this far away from country and indie rock.

His songwriting gets lost in the mix in songs like the vaguely loungey "Devil in the Details." His vocals also get messed with in a few songs, which just gives the feeling that parts of "Digital Ash" is overproduced. Most of the time his slightly trembly vocals are left alone, rising triumphantly over the multilayered music.

Conor Oberst is often maligned as pretentious, for songs that would be considered genius in an older musician. But his latest two albums establish Oberst as two things -- a talented prodigy, and one willing to take musican risks. Bright Eyes' "Digital Ash in A Digital Urn" is not the strongest work he has done, but it is definitely the bravest.

Conor plugs in
Bright Eyes fourth and fifth albums were released in tandem, on the 24th of January 2005, they both showcased two different directions and parting points, Digital Ash in a Digital Urn, as the title suggests was more electronic while its counterpart I'm Wide Awake It's Morning draws from a country influence. Two obvious footnotes for the alternate albums were two singles off Bright Eyes last album Lifted, Lover I Don't have to Love has a keyboard hook, a string section and an expansive sound paving the way for Digital Ash. Whilst Bowl of Oranges featured a soul acoustic guitar and upfront vocals, leading the way to I'm Wide Awake It's Morning.

The album opens with a Kid A-ish, styled track Time Code which automatically disconcerts the listener and forces their ear to either pay attention or switch it off, something Oberst has done on every Bright Eyes album most notably, The Big Picture on Lifted and Spindle A Darkness A Fever And A Necklace on Fevers and Mirrors.

Another less obvious distinction of the sister albums, is while I'm Wide Awake's lyrics and vocal delivery are harrowingly honest and personal. The no1 US single Lua and first day of my life are good examples, Digital Ash benefits greatly from all encompassing lyrics and word play, as if Oberst is grappling with something bigger. He tackles fate on the outstanding I Believe in Symmetry and death on the equally brilliant Easy/Lucky/Free.

Take it easy (love nothing) is one of my favourite ever Bright Eyes tracks and was just piped to US no. 1 by I'm Wide Awake's Lua. Take it Easy is a tale of a one night stand with a good friend set too an electronic beat and a shimmering keyboards, which spiral down beautifully at the close. This is where Digital Ash really kicks off, track six, Hit the Switch has Conor vowing to quit drinking, feeling alienated from his friends but then getting over it and embracing what little good there is in life. All over a sumptuous back drop courtesy of Nick Zimmer of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

I Believe in Symmetry is a paean to accepting all that life throws and getting on with it and for the first time Conor sounds like something he's never sounded before, he actually sounds happy, he's glad to be alive. No longer threatening to drive himself of a cliff or chocking himself on a bathroom floor (see Letting off the Happiness). The results are glorious with strings rising and falling at the tracks climax, a definite highlight of Digital Ash.

Track ten Light Pollution is a fantastic tribute to a seemingly old man who encouraged Conor early on before he `lost control' listening to the radio. Its pounding drums and unrelenting guitars merge in a spellbinding electronic wave.

The final track Easy/Lucky/Free is a song about the acceptance of death with lines about war, a friend's burial and heaven. Easy/Lucky/Free has the albums best lines for example "once the satellites deceased it blows like garbage through the streets of the night sky to infinity". As an album closer it's superb and up there with Take it Easy as the albums best track. It shows Conor looking forward, moving on and again perhaps even content.

Unlike its sister Digital Ash is an album of peaks and troughs, the highlights are some of Bright Eyes greatest songs and will leave you dizzy but they can't disguise the albums flaws, there are a few weaker tracks on here but strangely the album doesn't feel any worse for having them just more complete. It is my favourite album of the two but not the one I'd recommend to the new listener. What Digital Ash In a Digital Urn is, is a fantastic attempt to push the boundaries, the forward looking song structures and wide ranging lyrics paint a, ahem, bright future for Conor's band. Digital Ash In A Digital Urn is an album of continuity that will get better with time.