MUSIC REVIEWS
Bright Eyes - Digital Ash in a Digital Urn
Matt Jameson
Odd, strange, and yet likable are the best words I can use to describe the digitally created album “Digital Ash In a Digital Urn”. Although odd and strange may stand as more appropriate descriptions, after listening through this album it is certainly likeable.
If you are a regular viewer of the review section here on The Noyse, you may recall my previous review of the band Bright Eyes and their album “I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning”. If you are a new viewer, the last review I wrote was written based upon a simultaneously released album – written in the folk / alt-country style.
This review is based upon the second album of that dual release, written in the electronic genre. I am hard pressed to write descriptively about this album because what I like about it is not easily definable. Definitely an album that gets better with the second or third play through, Digital Ash is an assembly of very random songs with the ever-present catchy vocals that Bright Eyes music has become known for. This lyric for example: “If you make friends – with Jesus Christ; you can get right up – from that chalk outline”, is delivered with a sort of lazy and defiant sarcasm that sums up this entire album.
This is an excellent album for those rainy days when your other discs seem inappropriate. Not the favorite disc of my collection by any means, especially when compared to the Bright Eyes folk release. Yet still I feel compelled to inform you “Noysies” about this music. Something about it draws you in and makes you feel a sort of personal connection to it. However, if you are expecting this release to be as bright and unassuming as their folk release you may be disappointed. This truly is the dark side of Bright Eyes, so proceed with caution. Either way, just expect to be surprised when you find yourself singing the lyrics at work.
