Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was

Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was is the tenth studio album by Bright Eyes, the Nebraska band of Conor Oberst, Mike Mogis, and Nate Walcott. The release marks the band's first project in nearly a decade, following The People's Key (2011). It was released by Dead Oceans on August 21, 2020, making it their first album not released by Saddle Creek Records. The album was recorded at ARC Studios in Omaha and Electro-Vox and Capitol Studios in Los Angeles. It 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, Where the World Once Was
Studio album by
Bright Eyes
ReleasedAugust 21, 2020 (2020-08-21)
Recorded2019
Studio
Length54:45
LabelDead Oceans
ProducerBright Eyes
Bright Eyes chronology
The People's Key
(2011)		 Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was
(2020)
Singles from Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was
  1. "Persona Non Grata"
    Released: March 24, 2020
  2. "Forced Convalescence"
    Released: April 21, 2020
  3. "One and Done"
    Released: May 27, 2020
  4. "Mariana Trench"
    Released: June 22, 2020

The album was preceded by four singles: "Persona Non Grata", "Forced Convalescence", "One and Done", and "Mariana Trench".

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.[5] 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.[6] 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.[7][6]

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."[8] 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[9] at Mogis' ARC Studios in Omaha, and at Electro-Vox Recording Studios and Capitol Studios, both located in Los Angeles.[5] 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.[10][7]

The album is dedicated to Oberst's brother Matt, who died in November 2016.[7] 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".[11]

Release

On January 9, 2020, Bright Eyes teased a comeback on their social media accounts with a cryptic animation alongside the hashtag "#BrightEyes2020".[12][13] 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.[14] They band also announced plans to release new music and revealed Bright Eyes had signed to Dead Oceans.[15] Before signing to Dead Oceans, Bright Eyes had released all of their studio albums on Saddle Creek Records.[5]

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.[16] 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.[17][18] On May 23, 2020, the band cancelled dates on the scheduled UK and European tour and postponed the remaining dates to 2021.[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).[5]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.7/10[32]
Metacritic81/100[33]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[34]
The A.V. ClubA−[35]
Exclaim!6/10[36]
The Independent[37]
NME[38]
Paste8.2/10[39]
Pitchfork7.4/10[40]
Q[41]
Rolling Stone[42]
Uncut9/10[43]

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.[33]

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."[34] 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."[43] 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".[41]

Tom Hull was less impressed, giving the album a B-plus and finding its extensive musical accomplishment ostensibly significant but not entirely worth exploring.[44]

Year-end lists
Year-end list accolades for Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was
Publication List Rank Ref.
Double J The 50 best albums of 2020
21
[45]
NBHAP 50 Best Albums of 2020
9
[46]
Slant Magazine The 50 Best Albums of 2020
40
[47]
The Sunday Times The best albums of 2020
5
[48]
Uncut The Top 75 Albums of the Year
45
[49]
Under the Radar Top 100 Albums of 2020
50
[50]

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Conor Oberst, except where noted; all music is composed by Bright Eyes.

Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was track listing
No.TitleLyricsLength
1."Pageturners Rag" 3:57
2."Dance and Sing" 4:30
3."Just Once in the World"
3:28
4."Mariana Trench" 3:41
5."One and Done" 4:53
6."Pan and Broom" 2:52
7."Stairwell Song" 3:40
8."Persona Non Grata" 3:32
9."Tilt-A-Whirl" 2:20
10."Hot Car in the Sun" 2:27
11."Forced Convalescence" 4:08
12."To Death's Heart (In Three Parts)" 5:25
13."Calais to Dover" 4:17
14."Comet Song" 5:35
Total length:54:45

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[9]

Musicians

Bright Eyes

  • Conor Oberst – vocals, acoustic guitar, piano
  • Mike Mogis – electric guitar, pedal steel, banjo, Marxophone, synth bass, percussion, programming, hammer dulcimer, bajo sexto
  • Nathaniel Walcott – piano, trumpet, flugelhorn, orchestral and choir arrangements, Hammond organ, electric pianos, synthesizers, vibraphone, Omnichord, Mellotron, harpsichord

Additional musicians

  • Corina Figueroa Escamilla – vocals (track 1)
  • Nancy Oberst – vocals (track 1)
  • Miwi La Lupa – vocals (tracks 3, 4, 5, 14)
  • Andy LeMaster – vocals (tracks 9, 13)
  • Susan Sanchez – vocals (tracks 6, 8)
  • Jesca Hoop – vocals (tracks 4, 12)
  • Dan McCarthy – piano (track 1)
  • Flea – bass (tracks 2, 4, 5, 7, 11, 12, 14)
  • Macey Taylor – bass (tracks 3, 8, 9, 10, 13)
  • Jenny Lee Lindberg – bass (track 6)
  • Jon Theodore – drums (tracks 2–14), percussion (tracks 2–14), timpani (tracks 2–14)
  • Kip Skitter – percussion (tracks 2, 4, 11)
  • Joe Fuchs – bagpipes (track 8)
  • Joe Todero – bagpipes (track 8)
  • Malcolm Wilbur – bagpipes (track 8)
  • Suzie Katayama – orchestra conductor (tracks 2, 5, 7, 14)
  • Jason McGee – choir conductor (tracks 2, 11)
  • James Connor – choir vocals (tracks 2, 11)
  • Quishima Dixon – choir vocals (tracks 2, 11)
  • Natalie Ganther – choir vocals (tracks 2, 11)
  • Anthony Johnston – choir vocals (tracks 2, 11)
  • Edward Lawson – choir vocals (tracks 2, 11)
  • Jennifer Lee – choir vocals (tracks 2, 11)
  • Sharetta Morgan-Harmon – choir vocals (tracks 2, 11)
  • Marquee Perkins – choir vocals (tracks 2, 11)
  • Jessica Guideri – violin (tracks 2, 5, 7, 14)
  • Tammy Hatwan – violin (tracks 2, 5, 7, 14)
  • Jackie Brand – violin (tracks 2, 5, 7, 14)
  • Roberto Cani – violin (tracks 2, 5, 7, 14)
  • Paul Cartwright – violin (tracks 2, 5, 7, 14)
  • Nina Evtuhov – violin (tracks 2, 5, 7, 14)
  • Gerry Hilera – violin (tracks 2, 5, 7, 14)
  • Ana Landauer – violin (tracks 2, 5, 7, 14)
  • Natalie Leggett – violin (tracks 2, 5, 7, 14)
  • Michele Richards – violin (tracks 2, 5, 7, 14)
  • Jenny Takamatsu – violin (tracks 2, 5, 7, 14)
  • John Wittenberg – violin (tracks 2, 5, 7, 14)
  • Rob Brophy – viola (tracks 2, 5, 7, 14)
  • Tom Lea – viola (tracks 2, 5, 7, 14)
  • Luke Maurer – viola (tracks 2, 5, 7, 14)
  • Rodney Wirtz – viola (tracks 2, 5, 7, 14)
  • Vanessa Freebairn-Smith – cello (tracks 2, 5, 7, 14)
  • Erika Duka – cello (tracks 2, 5, 7, 14)
  • Dane Little – cello (tracks 2, 5, 7, 14)
  • Charlie Tyler – cello (tracks 2, 5, 7, 14)
  • Johanna Borenstein – flute (tracks 2, 7, 14)
  • Lara Wickes – oboe (tracks 2, 7, 14), English horn (tracks 2, 7, 14)
  • Don Foster – clarinet (tracks 2, 7, 14)
  • John Mitchell – baritone saxophone (tracks 4, 5)
  • Jon Lewis – trumpet (tracks 2, 4, 5, 7, 14)
  • Daniel Rosenboom – trumpet (tracks 2, 4, 5, 7, 14)
  • Alex Iles – trombone (tracks 2, 4, 5, 7, 14)
  • Steve Holtman – trombone (tracks 2, 4, 5, 7, 14)

Technical
  • Bright Eyes – production (all tracks)
  • Mike Mogis – mixing (all tracks), engineering (tracks 1, 3, 8, 9, 10, 13)
  • Michael Harris – engineering (tracks 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 14)
  • Steve Churchyard – engineering (tracks 2, 4, 5, 7, 11, 14)
  • Adam Roberts – assistant engineer (tracks 1, 3, 8, 9, 10, 13)
  • Nik Fackler – assistant engineer (track 1)
  • Aaron Gum – assistant engineer (track 1)
  • Chris Cerullo – assistant engineer (tracks 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 14)
  • Chandler Harrod – assistant engineer (tracks 2, 4, 5, 7, 11, 14)
  • Andy LeMaster – assistant engineer (tracks 9, 13)
  • Tim Thomas – assistant engineer (tracks 4, 12)
  • Bob Ludwig – mastering (all tracks)

Artwork
  • Zack Nipper – artwork, layout
  • Rob Walters – diorama photography

Charts
Chart performance for Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was
Chart (2020) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[51] 67
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[52] 21
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[53] 34
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[54] 62
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[55] 8
Scottish Albums (OCC)[56] 6
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[57] 32
UK Albums (OCC)[58] 22
US Billboard 200[59] 36

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  9. Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was (liner notes). Bright Eyes. Dead Oceans. 2020. DOC210LP.CS1 maint: others (link)
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  13. DeVille, Chris (January 9, 2020). "Bright Eyes Tease Comeback". Stereogum. Retrieved June 23, 2020.
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