Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was explained

Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was
Type:studio
Artist:Bright Eyes
Cover:Bright Eyes - Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was.png
Recorded:2019
Length:54:45
Label:Dead Oceans
Producer:Bright Eyes
Prev Title:The People's Key
Prev Year:2011

Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was is the tenth studio album by American band Bright Eyes. The album marked the band's first release in nearly a decade, following The People's Key in 2011. It was released by Dead Oceans on August 21, 2020, and it was their first album not released by Saddle Creek Records. The album was recorded at Electro-Vox and Capitol Studios in Los Angeles and ARC Studios in Omaha, Nebraska.

The album features musical contributions from drummer Jon Theodore and Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, who had previously recorded The Mars Volta's 2003 debut studio record De-loused in the Comatorium together.

Down in the Weeds was preceded by four singles: "Persona Non Grata", "Forced Convalescence", "One and Done", and "Mariana Trench". The album received favorable reviews from critics and peaked at #36 on the Billboard 200.

Background and recording

In 2009, Conor Oberst suggested that the next Bright Eyes album would be the band's last, after which he would retire the project.[1] [2] In February 2011, the band released their ninth studio album The People's Key. However, shortly thereafter Oberst told Rolling Stone that he was "definitely not making it official" as to whether the album would be the band's last.[3] The band performed their last show in Honolulu, Hawaii on November 21, 2011.[4] Bright Eyes went on an unofficial hiatus as members Conor Oberst, Mike Mogis, and Nate Walcott each pursued different projects. However, all three members remained in close contact with each other. Oberst, who lives in Omaha, Nebraska and Los Angeles, California, lives next door to Mogis in Omaha and minutes away from Walcott in Los Angeles.[5] During the hiatus, Oberst released three solo albums: Upside Down Mountain (2014), Ruminations (2016), and Salutations (2017). Oberst also released a second Desaparecidos album, Payola (2015), and formed the indie rock project Better Oblivion Community Center with Phoebe Bridgers, releasing an eponymous album in 2019. In 2014, Mogis and Walcott composed the soundtrack for The Fault in Our Stars, based on the novel of the same name by John Green. During the hiatus, Mogis also provided musical and technical contributions to music by other artists, while Walcott provided musical and songwriting contributions to other artists' music and scored other films. Walcott also worked as a touring member of other musical groups, including Broken Bells and Red Hot Chili Peppers.

In the November 2016 issue of Uncut, Oberst expressed doubt as to whether or not The People's Key would be the band's final album and revealed that Bright Eyes "still talk about doing another record."[6] Bright Eyes' return began at a Christmas party in 2017 at Walcott's house. Oberst pitched the idea of regrouping Bright Eyes to Walcott, and he and Walcott huddled in a bathroom and called Mogis over FaceTime, who was Christmas shopping at a mall in Omaha. Mogis agreed to regroup, and the band began working again. It was a collaborative effort, with the band writing material for the album in Omaha and California. The album was recorded in 2019 at Mogis' ARC Studios in Omaha, and at Electro-Vox Recording Studios and Capitol Studios, both located in Los Angeles.[7] The album also features contributions from drummer Jon Theodore (The Mars Volta, Queens of the Stone Age, One Day as a Lion) and Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea.[8]

The album is dedicated to Oberst's brother Matt, who died in November 2016.[9] The album also comes in the aftermath of Oberst's divorce in 2017 from Corina Figueroa Escamilla, whom he was married to for seven years. However, she is featured speaking in Spanish on the album's opening track, "Pageturners Rag".[10]

Release

On January 9, 2020, Bright Eyes teased a comeback on their social media accounts with a cryptic animation alongside the hashtag "#BrightEyes2020".[11] [12] On January 21, 2020, the band announced their return with a series of 2020 tour dates, their first live performances in nine years. The band scheduled performances in Tokyo in March, Los Angeles in May, New York City in June, and at England's End of the Road Festival in September.[13] They band also announced plans to release new music and revealed Bright Eyes had signed to Dead Oceans.[14] Before signing to Dead Oceans, Bright Eyes had released all of their studio albums on Saddle Creek Records.

On February 18, 2020, Bright Eyes announced a North American tour for May–June 2020, supported by Lucy Dacus, Lavender Diamond, and Japanese Breakfast. They also announced a UK and European tour for August–September 2020.[15] On April 24, 2020, Bright Eyes cancelled most of the scheduled North American tour dates and postponed the remaining dates due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[16] [17] On May 23, 2020, the band cancelled dates on the scheduled UK and European tour and postponed the remaining dates to 2021.[18] The band performed the first show of their tour on July 27, 2021, at Artpark Amphitheatre in Lewiston, New York.[19]

"Persona Non Grata" was released as the album's lead single on March 24, 2020.[20] [21] "Forced Convalescence" was released as the second single on April 21, 2020.[22] [23] "One and Done" was released as the third single on May 27, 2020.[24] [25] [26] "Mariana Trench" was released as the fourth single on June 22, 2020, and was performed the same day by Bright Eyes on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.[27] The album's title, artwork, tracklisting, and release date were also announced the same day.[28] Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was was released by Dead Oceans on August 21, 2020.[29] [30] The band gave a track-by-track breakdown of the album for Apple Music.[31]

Artwork

The album's artwork was created by Zack Nipper, a former Saddle Creek Records graphic designer, who designed the cover artwork for most of Bright Eyes' previous albums. Nipper previously won the Grammy Award for Best Recording Package for his work on the Bright Eyes album Cassadaga (2007).

Critical reception

Down in the Weeds received favorable reviews from music critics. The album has a score of 81 out of 100 on Metacritic, indicating "universal acclaim", based on 24 reviews.

Fred Thomas of AllMusic wrote that "it continues Bright Eyes' evolution without skipping a beat, and manages to be one of their stronger records in the process." Bud Scoppa of Uncut gave the album a 9/10, praising the "opulent orchestrations and chorales rendering Oberst's tremulous outpourings that much more existentially fraught." Tom Doyle of Q praised the album's "smart audio trickery and intriguing atmosphere" as well as Oberst's vocals for being "less nervy and whiny and more restrained and affecting".

Tom Hull was less impressed, giving the album a B-plus and finding its extensive musical accomplishment ostensibly significant but not entirely worth exploring.[32]

Year-end lists

Double JThe 50 best albums of 2020
NBHAP50 Best Albums of 2020
Slant MagazineThe 50 Best Albums of 2020
The Sunday TimesThe best albums of 2020
UncutThe Top 75 Albums of the Year
Under the RadarTop 100 Albums of 2020

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[33]

Musicians

Bright Eyes

Additional musicians

Technical

Artwork

Notes and References

  1. News: Dombal . Ryan . July 22, 2009 . Conor Oberst to Retire Bright Eyes? . . June 24, 2020.
  2. Aswad . Jem . December 1, 2010 . Bright Eyes to Release Album Next Year . . June 24, 2020.
  3. Hiatt . Brian . March 3, 2011 . Q&A: Conor Oberst . . June 24, 2020.
  4. News: June 22, 2020 . Bright Eyes Officially Announce New LP 'Down In The Weeds Where The World Once Was; Out 8/21 via Dead Oceans . June 23, 2020 . Glide Magazine.
  5. News: Roberts . Christopher . June 22, 2020 . Bright Eyes Officially Announce New Album, Share Video for New Song "Mariana Trench" . . June 24, 2020.
  6. News: Pinnock . Tom . September 30, 2016 . Conor Oberst: "Bright Eyes still talk about doing another album" . . June 24, 2020.
  7. News: Coffey . Kevin . June 22, 2020 . Bright Eyes' new comeback album has a release date . . June 23, 2020.
  8. News: Hughes . Josiah . June 22, 2020 . Bright Eyes Detail New Album 'Down in the Weeds Where the World Once Was' . June 23, 2020 . Exclaim!.
  9. Web site: Ross . Alex Robert . June 23, 2020 . Bright Eyes at the end of the world again . June 23, 2020 . The Fader.
  10. Web site: Clarke . Patrick . August 6, 2020 . Casserole Buffet: Bright Eyes Interviewed . August 12, 2020 . The Quietus.
  11. January 9, 2020 . Bright Eyes Tease 2020 Comeback With Relaunched Socials & Cryptic Video . June 23, 2020 . Billboard.
  12. News: DeVille . Chris . January 9, 2020 . Bright Eyes Tease Comeback . June 23, 2020 . Stereogum.
  13. News: Bloom . Madison . Monroe . Jazz . January 21, 2020 . Bright Eyes Announce First Shows in Over 9 Years, Working on New Album . June 23, 2020 . Pitchfork.
  14. January 21, 2020 . Bright Eyes Sign to New Label, Drop First Tour Dates in Nearly a Decade: See Where They're Headed . June 23, 2020 . Billboard.
  15. News: Strauss . Matthew . February 18, 2020 . Bright Eyes Announce Tour . June 23, 2020 . Pitchfork.
  16. News: Schatz . Lake . April 24, 2020 . Bright Eyes Update Reunion Tour Amid Coronavirus Concerns . June 23, 2020 . Consequence of Sound.
  17. News: Strauss . Matthew . April 24, 2020 . Bright Eyes Cancel and Postpone Reunion Shows . June 23, 2020 . Pitchfork.
  18. News: Richards . Will . May 23, 2020 . Check out Bright Eyes' rescheduled UK and European tour dates for 2021 . June 23, 2020 . NME.
  19. Web site: Aubrey . Elizabeth . June 12, 2021 . Bright Eyes unveil 2021 summer US tour dates . August 5, 2021 . NME.
  20. News: Thompson . Stephen . Stephen Thompson (journalist) . March 24, 2020 . Bright Eyes' 9-Year Hiatus Ends With 'Persona Non Grata' . June 23, 2020 . NPR.
  21. Martoccio . Angie . March 24, 2020 . Bright Eyes Drop First New Music in Nearly a Decade — With Bagpipes . June 23, 2020 . Rolling Stone.
  22. Blistein . Jon . April 21, 2020 . Bright Eyes Get Existential in Bed on New Song, 'Forced Convalescence' . June 23, 2020 . Rolling Stone.
  23. News: Tan . Emily . April 21, 2020 . Bright Eyes Share Somber New Single 'Forced Convalescence' . June 23, 2020 . Spin.
  24. News: Moore . Sam . May 27, 2020 . Listen to Bright Eyes' new single 'One and Done' . June 23, 2020 . NME.
  25. News: Bowers . Emma . May 27, 2020 . Bright Eyes Shares Lush New Single 'One And Done' . June 23, 2020 . NPR.
  26. Blistein . Jon . May 27, 2020 . Bright Eyes Share New Dispatch From the End of the World, 'One and Done' . June 23, 2020 . Rolling Stone.
  27. News: Tan . Emily . June 22, 2020 . Bright Eyes Drop 'Mariana Trench' Video, Reveal New Album Details . June 23, 2020 . Spin.
  28. Martoccio . Angie . June 22, 2020 . Bright Eyes Announce New Album, Release New Song 'Mariana Trench' . June 23, 2020 . Rolling Stone.
  29. News: Richards . Will . June 22, 2020 . Bright Eyes announce new album 'Down In The Weeds, Where The World Once Was' . June 23, 2020 . NME.
  30. News: Richards . Sam . June 22, 2020 . Bright Eyes unveil new album, Down In the Weeds, Where The World Once Was . June 23, 2020 . Uncut.
  31. Web site: August 21, 2020 . Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was by Bright Eyes . https://web.archive.org/web/20200822053705id_/https://music.apple.com/us/album/down-in-the-weeds-where-the-world-once-was/1516556868 . August 22, 2020 . August 22, 2020 . Apple Music.
  32. Web site: Hull. Tom. Tom Hull (critic). October 6, 2020. Music Week. Tom Hull – on the Web. October 7, 2020.
  33. Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was . . . 2020 . liner notes . DOC210LP.
  34. The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 31 August 2020. Australian Recording Industry Association. 1591. August 31, 2020.

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