Bright Eyes
The People's Key

Officially released only on February 15th, but already available on the Internet for several days, "The People's Key" presents itself as the eighth and probably final studio effort from Bright Eyes—a splendid swan song that continues (on a lyrical level) the more intimate, spiritual, and mystical journey Oberst began in 2007 with "Cassadaga" and continued with the Mystic Valley Band.

We are faced with an album that, musically reminding us greatly of "Digital Ash In A Digital Urn," almost entirely abandons the group's Folk roots in order to give a more "electronic" sheen to the songs, which remain, as usual, of simple structure but elaborate execution. Making use of numerous external collaborations (such as Andy LeMaster from Now It's Overhead), the Oberst-Mogis-Walcott trio guides us through 40 minutes in a hypnotic and fascinating fresco of unexpected and not at all obvious sounds, gifting us gems like "Shell Games", "Haile Selassie", and the moving "Ladder Song".

Having finally shed once and for all the old guise of the committed singer-songwriter, Oberst (following a musical path at times very similar to Dylan's) reveals himself for what he truly is: an indomitable artist, the minstrel of the twenty-first century.