One of the great indie rock institutions, Bright Eyes, is set to release “The People’s Key”, its first new album in nearly four years, via Saddle Creek on February 15, 2011. That is the incendiary cover art above. In order to whet everyone’s appetite for quavering vocal lines and borderline-histrionic vocals, Bright Eyes has released “Shell Games,” the first single from”The People’s Key”. This track can be described in three simple words: Return. To. Form.
The last few releases by Conor Oberst, the mastermind behind Bright Eyes, have largely fallen victim to Oberst’s more banal tendencies (read: bland Americana), which makes “Shell Games” such a welcome surprise. The track does not stray too far from Bright Eyes’ familiar sound, but producer Mike Mogis elevates the track with a variety of new tricks. The most jarring probably begins at the one-minute mark, when a series of synths is introduced to accent the remainder of the track.
It is an offsetting sound at first, but repeated listens reveal that the synths are a crucial aspect of “Shell Games’” success. Absent such flourishes, “Shell Games” would likely do little more than remind listeners why Bright Eyes’ early albums were so great. Instead, “Shell Games” provides us with the promise that “The People’s Key” might be.
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Bright Eyes – “Shell Games”
