Most of the stuff I’ve read about him/them over the years is either “Conor is a brilliant, gifted, visionary, unspoiled,unparalleled sex symbol/songwriting genius,” or, “What a miserable, whining, narcissistic, puerile, load of crap this impoverished excuse for a songwriter is spoon-feeding his sycophantic fans.” I guess I fall somewhere in between: impressed, but not awe-stricken. I saw Bright Eyes when they opened up for Grandaddy in about 1999. The frontman was obviously about sixteen and was way drunk, but the performance and outright emotional expression was incredible. I bought their CD right at the show. It’s not often that the opening band impresses me as much as Grandaddy. (Elliott Smith did the same thing less than a year later, but that’s another thread I guess.)
The 2002 album Lifted is pretty great, IMHO. They have an entire drum corps on almost every song, plus the full rock or country band and sometimes a string section. Very eclectic and they nailed almost every song right on (whatever that means). An original, ambitious album that pleased me just fine.
Any Dopers out there who like Conor/Bright Eyes? Hate 'em? I’m curious as to your opinion. Thanks.
I’m also decidedly in the middle on him. He’s maddeningly elusive; he knows very well that he rides the line between genius and pretentious crap, and he does it with a bitter glee. I think it’s best illustrated on Fevers and Mirrors, especially in the final weird ‘radio’ interview.
But then, A Song To Pass The Time is unmistakeably brilliant. I think. Maybe.
I listen to Bright Eyes when I want to end up at the close of an album depressed, confused, slightly annoyed, and touched. Which is surprisingly often.
I think “Conor is a brilliant, gifted, visionary, unspoiled,unparalleled sex symbol/songwriting genius,” and “a miserable, whining, narcissistic, puerile, load of crap this impoverished excuse for a songwriter is spoon-feeding his sycophantic fans.” He consistently overreaches and has too much faith in his own abilities, but still manages to make music that is absolutely compelling.
I’m in the middle, too. Some of his songs have great lyrics and brilliant turns of phrase, but on a lot of them I think he goes on for far too long. I think that as he matures as a songwriter, he’ll get better and sifting out the good ideas from the bad.