When Conor Oberst starts to sing, you listen.
Indie-folk band Bright Eyes released their newest album, “Five Dice, All Threes” on Sept. 20. The record marks their first studio album since 2020, and their ninth full-length project as a band.
While the band has a signature folk sound, the main draw is the writing of Conor Oberst. Considered by some to be one of the best songwriters of all time, Oberst’s lyrics have defined the band for over two decades. In “Five Dice, All Threes,” Oberst is at his most existential. Despite the album’s frequently upbeat instrumentation, Bright Eyes’ most recent work may be their darkest.
In traditional Bright Eyes fashion, this album doesn’t begin with music. The opening track, “Five Dice,” is an amalgamation of skits and scenes, all centered around the playing of a dice game. It’s difficult to parse, but the rest of the album helps contextualize the track.
That leads into the album’s first true song. “Bells and Whistles” was the record’s lead single, and features sparkling piano passages accented by a grungy guitar melody. Oberst’s lyrics are at their lightest, with humorous lines like, “You shouldn’t place bets on the New York Mets / Because at best it’s hypothetical.”
“El Capitan” takes the record in a softer direction. The verses feature a little more than Oberst’s vocals and an acoustic guitar, but the chorus explodes with heavy percussion and electric guitar chords. The song features textbook Oberst’s songwriting, telling a story of betrayal.
“Tiny Suicides” is one of the darkest songs on the record, and continues the themes of existentialism present in the previous tracks, featuring brief punches of percussion with soft piano passages and simple guitar chords.
The track’s final lyrics feature commentary on what Oberst perceives as the futility of life. “Someday we all die / why give into these tiny suicides?” The track closes with the sound of people crying and is one of the heaviest songs in the band’s discography.
“Rainbow Overpass” provides some much needed lightness. The instrumentation would fit right in on a punk rock album, highlighted by low-fi percussion. Oberst’s lyrics, however, stay incredibly heavy. He likens life to driving, as he sings, “I’m asleep at the wheel, probably.”
“Hate” is a rare misstep for the band. Oberst’s refrain of “I hate” gets repetitive, and he offers little of his poetic explanations. The track feels like a moment of immaturity not present on the rest of the record.
Thankfully, “Real Feel 105°” feels like it will go down as a Bright Eyes classic. The track hides existentialist themes behind what would otherwise be a traditional love song, a formula Oberst has perfected. Lyrics like “Growin’ old and confused, beauty’s wasted on youth,” contrast with “where you saw a rope swing, I saw a noose.”
“Trains Still Run on Time” is a criticism of Los Angeles and fame culture. The track disparages what people consider to be important in the face of major world events. Lines such as “the orchestra plays / a cartoon score for war” highlight the discrepancy in media attention for real conflicts compared to superficial ones.
“The Time I Have Left” is the peak of the record’s existentialism. It addresses the uncertainty of life, and not knowing how much time you have left.
The next and final song, “Tin Soldier Boy,” brings a much needed moment of hope.
The line “Our days are numbered / we’re counting up now,” is a recognition of recovery. Oberst tries to find the better days within the refrain “soldier on, soldier on, tin soldier boy.” There are hints of futility surrounding the track, but like many Bright Eyes songs, Oberst leaves the subject matter ambiguous.
“Five Dice, All Threes” is yet another quality project in the discography of one of the best indie folk bands of all time. Hopefully, the band’s return isn’t short-lived because as long as Oberst is at the helm, Bright Eyes albums will always be a must-listen.
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