Being a fan of the O.C., I am tempted to get into one of Seth Cohen’s favorite bands, Bright Eyes. Where do I start? Which is the best of their work, which is good introduction?
Chris W
To date, I think, they only have one album. I can’t think of what it’s called (really long, pretentious name). It’s pretty awesome that a mainstream show like The O.C. is playing them up. I’ve seen them in concert before… they have like 13 people on stage at once, playing a ridiculous variety of instruments. But the whole band is really about the lead singer/writer, Conor Oberst, who was the indie rock “it boy” of late 2002/early 2003.
The album SNenc is talking about is the 2002 release *Lifted, or The Story Is In The Soil, Keep Your Ear To The Ground. It’s actually his/their third album, though (kind of: there’s been some other releases between them, but they’re pretty much just compilations and EPs). It’s good - ambitious - and it works even though he doesn’t quite pull off the masterpiece he was aiming for. Conor Oberst is very earnest and he likes to make grand statements, but it works more often than you’d expect. Lover I Don’t Have To Love is a great, catchy song and would work well as in introduction.
If you like Bright Eyes, check out some of the other bands on Saddle Creek (the Nebraska label which Bright Eyes is on. Cursive’s The Ugly Organ is one of my picks for album of the year). You might also like to try Desaparecidos, Conor Oberst’s side project.
Who is the O.C?
The O.C. is one o dem new teen soaps on. It’s spectacular!
Anyway, my personal favorite bright eyes album is Fevers & Mirrors. It’s got all the… not hits… songs that could be considered as hits. He also has a christmas album out, but I’ve yet to check it out.
If you’re downloading songs, heaven forbid, the ones to get would be One Foot In Front of the Other, Lover I Don’t Have to Love, Bowl of Oranges, and Something Vague.