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Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was
by
Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was Image
Metascore
81

Universal acclaim - based on 24 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 22 Ratings

  • Summary: The first release for the indie rock trio since 2011 album The People's Key features contributions from Jon Theodore and Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea.
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  • Record Label: Dead Oceans
  • Genre(s): Folk, Pop/Rock, Alternative/Indie Rock, Indie Rock, Indie Pop, Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Protest Songs
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 24
  3. Negative: 0 out of 24
  1. The A.V. Club
    Aug 21, 2020
    91
    Unlike the singer’s rootsy solo work, Down In The Weeds is rich in what brought many of us to Bright Eyes in the first place: the drama. ... There’s the mature reflection he intertwines with his urgency. There’s his hard-fought optimism. And there’s the embrace of community, the sense that Oberst doesn’t want to stare down these songs alone.
  2. Uncut
    Aug 17, 2020
    90
    Unironically majestic set pieces that offer a ray of hope as this wild ride ends. [Oct 2020, p.28]
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  3. Paste Magazine
    Aug 20, 2020
    82
    By cycling through so many varied musical styles in the pursuit of bristling self-reflection, Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was offers an easy way through the endless morass of bad headlines and worse outcomes: Dance and sing.
  4. Slant Magazine
    Aug 17, 2020
    80
    The songs on Down in the Weeds reprises the sheen and clarity of Bright Eyes’s later records, like Cassadaga and The People’s Key, and mostly eschews the rawer qualities of their early recordings. But the band also continues to pick up influences and incorporate new sounds into their foundation.
  5. AllMusic
    Aug 20, 2020
    80
    Down in the Weeds avoids being either a phoned-in nostalgia trip or a wildly new direction that would alienate fans. Instead it continues Bright Eyes' evolution without skipping a beat, and manages to be one of their stronger records in the process.
  6. Rolling Stone
    Aug 21, 2020
    70
    At its heart, Down in the Weeds is a wounded, hopeful take on the Los Angeles midlife-crisis record (he moved there a few years ago). It’s a topic well-suited for Oberst’s abstract cynicism, as he tackles crumbling SoCal interstates, Malibu beach disasters, and, of course, yoga.
  7. Exclaim
    Aug 17, 2020
    60
    It's a logical continuation of 2007's slick Cassadaga (less so 2011's rock-inclined The People's Key) — but given the renaissance Oberst has enjoyed with his side-projects in recent years, it doesn't quite live up to Bright Eyes' lofty name.

See all 24 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 9
  3. Negative: 2 out of 9
  1. Haireater
    Sep 5, 2020
    10
    Perfect comeback though Conor’s voice sounds a bit different. Tilt-A-Whirl and Comet Song are my personal favourites.
  2. Ex_Aere
    Aug 22, 2020
    10
    A Welcome return from a 10 year Hiatus, Bright Eyes still shines just as bright. Grand scale instrumentals similar to "Cassadaga" with theA Welcome return from a 10 year Hiatus, Bright Eyes still shines just as bright. Grand scale instrumentals similar to "Cassadaga" with the tender and honest songwriting off of Conor's "Ruminations" album create a perfect combination of emotion and explosive power. The album is best experienced in a single sitting and never misses a beat. A message of hope despite loss prevails throughout the album, whether from Conor's allusions to his divorce and brother's death or to the mantra to "dance on through", each word lands with a crushing sense of weight and sadness. complex harmonic inclusions by the Orchestral arrangements by Nate Walcott add depth and colour to the compositions and Mike's production skills and splicing of field recordings brings a unity to all the tracks. a wonderful album for both old fans and new alike. The world yearned for bright eyes in these trying times, and they delivered the goods.… Expand
  4. casher
    Aug 21, 2020
    10
    Bright Eyes has always had an uncanny ability to release records when I needed them most. In 20 years I've never been disappointed. This oneBright Eyes has always had an uncanny ability to release records when I needed them most. In 20 years I've never been disappointed. This one is no exception. The timing couldn't have been more perfect. Beautiful record.… Expand
  5. fauxrealist
    Aug 30, 2020
    10
    Best Conor Oberst record since I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning. A top-5 Bright Eyes record, possibly higher.
  6. JJP
    Aug 21, 2020
    9
    It's an honest-to-goodness Bright Eyes Album in 2020. Fits in the discog perfectly.
  7. IndianaParkWars
    Sep 14, 2020
    8
    9.6/12
    This is a great album and the first I've heard by Bright Eyes. I knew of Oberst through Phoebe Bridgers but found this album through    9.6/12
    This is a great album and the first I've heard by Bright Eyes. I knew of Oberst through Phoebe Bridgers but found this album through NPR's Listening Party. I gotta say. There's not a dull moment in this album. It's strange, fun, and pleasant. I feel like I'm listening to pop but feel like I'm listening to more at the same time. There's excellent production quality and experimentation that makes the whole album feel like a piece of artwork.

    ALBUM ARTWORK: The artwork is gorgeous. I love the red, green, and black that intersects here. It appears to be a painting that creates a sort of optical illusion. It either diverges into the center to create a vanishing point or is a leafy vine with an orb on the end, draped down in the middle. Regardless of what the picture actually is, I adore the visual and wonder it creates for me.    … Expand
  8. zarryisreal
    Aug 27, 2020
    0
    Péssimo, um dos piores álbuns que já ouvi na vida
    Nada haver com nada, horrível

See all 9 User Reviews

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