Desaparecidos

Though Conor Oberst has a good thing going with the acoustic trauma that is Bright Eyes, Desaparecidos is like finding gold when you’re looking for silver. Focusing on the gloom and doom of the "American Dream,” Oberst pours his heart and soul into this record, screaming, squawking and biting his way through his lyrics. His voice is extraordinary, especially when he screams, sounding extremely fragile and on the verge of self-destruction. The message is a worthy one, especially now that the world has recently turned its back on all of the evils the U.S. is responsible for. And if you don’t care what a 22-year-old punk from Omaha has to say about a country’s corruption, then the music is enough to intrigue. Melodic like Weezer, aggressive like ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead and energetic like At The Drive-In, the rock factor is somewhere between bouncing off walls and breaking your mom’s good Royal Dalton over your head right in front of her. It’s a very warped record, yes, but anyone who hears it will be intrigued, whether they buy it or not.