I’m not going to pretend that I like Bright Eyes usually. And that’s because I don’t. But when my good friend and Bright Eyes fan “Donnie” suggested their A Christmas Album, I decided I had to give it a try. As it turns out, it’s a fantastic album. Instead of overdone, sad covers, front man Conor Oberst made surprisingly honest songs. The album is all renditions of classics, but done with a twist.
Oberst added a dark, brooding edge to the tunes, but they don’t make you want to kill yourself. What he ends up doing is adding an element of emotion that was never in the original. On “Little Drummer Boy,” by far the best track, Oberst and collaborator Maria Taylor give all the fun industrial noises you’d want out of them, without straying from the actual song.
This leaves me wondering if  dark, angsty Oberst actually has a soft spot for the holiday season. It’s also interesting to note many of his songs are the Christian ones, despite (correct me if I’m wrong) his lack of history in recording Christian material. It’s a great addition to the Christmas music family that you can get on Saddle Creek Records. All proceeds go to the Nebraska AIDS Project.Â
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