By Madeline Kerins

When leafing through the booklet for ‘Digital Ash In A Digital Urn’, one must look on the last page, about 16 lines down on the list of artists before discovering the name of the genius behind the record it accompanies: “Conor Oberst: Vocals (1-12), Samples (1, 11) Bass (4), Wurlitzer (2, 4, 5).” For a young man who has come under widespread critical acclaim for his latest creation with his band, Bright Eyes, you might imagine he’d at least put himself at the top of the list. But no, not Oberst, who despite recently being hailed as the next Bob Dylan, decided to simultaneously release his latest two albums on the independent record label where he began, Saddle Creek.

The two discs, ‘Digital Ash In A Digital Urn’ and ‘I’m Wide Awake…It’s Morning’, may just be the pinnacle of Oberst’s career; they are sure to garner him praise for a long to come, as well as expansion in his already devoted following. Digital Ash In A Digital Urn is possibly the more traditional of the two albums, but both seem suited to appeal to longtime fans as well as new ears.

Without seeming repetitive, Oberst dives into his unique, deeply emotional style of song-writing. The second track of the album, “Gold Mine Gutted” sounds as if it would blend well with any of his previous EPs and LPs in his extensive catalog. With the cleverness and openness that Bright Eyes fans loves. On the upbeat pop tune “Arc of Time (Time Code)”, Oberst uses a funky drum intro to set the tone for the track. Again, his lyrics fuse seamlessly with the music they accompany.

Also listed somewhat humbly on the back page of the CD’s booklet is Jimmy Tamborello of most notably The Postal Service. He accompanies Oberst on the song “Take It Easy (Love Nothing),” and though it is not necessarily obvious to the casual listener, fans of The Postal Service will notice his handiwork. The track is flawless and causes one to wonder why this pairing hadn’t happened sooner.

Rounding out the list of noteworthy tracks (though it is essentially all noteworthy), is “I Believe In Symmetry.” The opening is ear-catching, and could almost be mistaken for “99 Red Balloons” by 80s German pop artist Nena. The album ends with “Easy/Lucky/Free,” a deceivingly upbeat track. After several minutes of raw emotion, the track ends abruptly and silently with two seconds left, leaving the listener alone with their thoughts. It is in this time that they will most likely try to reconstruct the fragments of reality they have left after spending time in a poignant, auditory heaven.

The Chronicle gives ´Digital Ash In A Digital Urn´ by Bright Eyes five out of five stars.