Conor Oberst has always been a little self-indulgent. Listening to previous Bright Eyes records it is easy to find yourself not paying attention and tuning out of his pointless monologues or noisy excursions only to have your attention snapped back when a song of unbelievable beauty kicks in.

I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning begins with one of these pointless monologues. Fortunately it ends after a minute or so and the rest of the album is simply glorious with one instantly classic tune after another.

Songs about love, songs about politics, songs about alcoholism, whatever the topic Oberst’s turn of phrase and use of metaphor is sublime, marking him out as easily one of the best lyric writers on the planet.

Musically this album is all country. Oberst has in the past mixed country and electronica together but this time round he has split the two and recorded two albums for release on the same day, the other release - Digital Ash In A Digital Urn - is equally sublime but in a different way.

As a general rule of thumb I hate country music. Mostly because it sounds clichéd, hackneyed and mortally tired. Somehow this album manages to circumnavigate this and sounds fresh and full of life. It is not musically innovative by any stretch of the imagination but it is the only country album you will ever need.

Unless you are deaf there is no good excuse not to buy this.

Label: Saddle Creek
Website: www.saddle-creek.com
Release date: 25th January 2005

Tracklist:

1. At The Bottom Of Everything
2. We Are Nowhere And It’s Now
3. Old Soul Song (For The New World Order)
4. Lua
5. Train Under Water
6. First Day Of My Life
7. Another Travelin’ Song
8. Land Locked Blues
9. Poison Oak
10. Road To Joy