Digital Ash in a Digital Urn
Encyclopedia
Digital Ash in a Digital Urn is one of two Bright Eyes albums (along with I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning
) released on January 25, 2005 by Saddle Creek Records
. It peaked at #15 in the US and #43 in the UK. Contrasted to the acoustic nature of I'm Wide Awake It's Morning, this album is more electronic.
The singles "Take It Easy (Love Nothing)
" from Digital Ash in a Digital Urn and "Lua
" from the album I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning took the top two slots on the Billboard
Hot 100 Single Sales chart.
Drew Roulette, of alternative rock
band dredg
, states that Digital Ash in a Digital Urn is one of his favorite albums of all time.
The band achieved success in the charts when the singles "Lua" and "Take It Easy (Love Nothing)" took the top two positions in the Billboard Hot Singles Sales chart in 2004, and in 2005 the band set off on a two-part world tour to promote their new albums, I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning, and Digital Ash in a Digital Urn. The first half of the tour promoted the folk-influenced first album, and the latter half featured the more electronic second album. Both records made it into the Top 20 of the Billboard album charts. The tour was captured on Motion Sickness, released later in the year.
The more experimental of Conor Oberst's two releases in January 2005 is the electronic-flavored 'Digital Ash,' which includes some help from the Yeah Yeah Yeah's Nick Zinner and the Postal Service's Jimmy Tamborello.
Popmatters: 6 / 10. link
Rolling Stone: 3 / 4. link
I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning
I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning is one of two Bright Eyes albums released on January 25, 2005, by Saddle Creek Records.-Songs:The music video for "First Day of My Life" was directed by John Cameron Mitchell....
) released on January 25, 2005 by Saddle Creek Records
Saddle Creek Records
Saddle Creek Records is an American record label based in Omaha, Nebraska. Started as a college class project on entrepreneurship, the label was founded by Conor Oberst and Justin Oberst in 1993 . Conor soon turned over his role in the company to Robb Nansel...
. It peaked at #15 in the US and #43 in the UK. Contrasted to the acoustic nature of I'm Wide Awake It's Morning, this album is more electronic.
The singles "Take It Easy (Love Nothing)
Take It Easy (Love Nothing)
"Take It Easy " is a single by Bright Eyes, released in October 2004. It, along with "Lua," took the top two spots on Billboard magazine's Hot Singles Sales chart, something that had not been accomplished since 1997...
" from Digital Ash in a Digital Urn and "Lua
Lua (song)
"Lua" is a single by Bright Eyes released in October 2004. Originally appearing on the album, I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning, the song deals with two people as they struggle through depression, addiction, and an interminable night...
" from the album I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning took the top two slots on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot 100 Single Sales chart.
Drew Roulette, of alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band dredg
Dredg
Dredg is an American rock group formed in 1993 in Los Gatos, California. The band consists of vocalist Gavin Hayes, guitarist Mark Engles, bassist Drew Roulette and drummer Dino Campanella....
, states that Digital Ash in a Digital Urn is one of his favorite albums of all time.
Track listing
- "Time Code" – 4:28
- "Gold Mine Gutted" – 3:56
- "Arc of Time (Time Code)" – 3:54
- "Down in a Rabbit Hole" – 4:33
- "Take It Easy (Love Nothing)Take It Easy (Love Nothing)"Take It Easy " is a single by Bright Eyes, released in October 2004. It, along with "Lua," took the top two spots on Billboard magazine's Hot Singles Sales chart, something that had not been accomplished since 1997...
" – 3:20 - "Hit the Switch" – 4:47
- "I Believe in Symmetry" – 5:24
- "Devil in the Details" – 4:06
- "Ship in a Bottle" – 3:27
- "Light Pollution" – 3:16
- "Theme from Pinata" – 3:18
- "Easy/Lucky/FreeEasy/Lucky/Free"Easy/Lucky/Free" is a single by the band Bright Eyes from their album Digital Ash in a Digital Urn. It was released July 25, 2005. The music video features Conor Oberst entering a room, and then writing the lyrics and drawings on a transparent wall as the song plays...
" – 5:31
The band achieved success in the charts when the singles "Lua" and "Take It Easy (Love Nothing)" took the top two positions in the Billboard Hot Singles Sales chart in 2004, and in 2005 the band set off on a two-part world tour to promote their new albums, I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning, and Digital Ash in a Digital Urn. The first half of the tour promoted the folk-influenced first album, and the latter half featured the more electronic second album. Both records made it into the Top 20 of the Billboard album charts. The tour was captured on Motion Sickness, released later in the year.
The more experimental of Conor Oberst's two releases in January 2005 is the electronic-flavored 'Digital Ash,' which includes some help from the Yeah Yeah Yeah's Nick Zinner and the Postal Service's Jimmy Tamborello.
Reception
Allmusic: 2 / 5. linkPopmatters: 6 / 10. link
Rolling Stone: 3 / 4. link
Personnel
Note: I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning and Digital Ash in a Digital Urn are the first Bright Eyes albums on which Conor Oberst, Mike Mogis, and Nate Walcott became the three permanent members of Bright Eyes.- Clark BaechleClark BaechleClark Alan Baechle is the drummer in the band The Faint. He also played in another Nebraskan band, Park Ave. He has also played on many releases and tours for Bright Eyes, playing drums and clarinet...
– drums (tracks 2, 9) - Karen Becker – cello (tracks 4, 7)
- Jason BoeselJason BoeselJason Boesel was the drummer for Rilo Kiley and has also played with The Elected. He also drummed in the Bright Eyes touring band during their 2005 tour, and went on to write the liner notes for the consequent Bright Eyes live album, Motion Sickness and contributing to Bright Eyes' 2007 record,...
– drums (tracks 2, 4–7, 9–12), percussion (tracks 2, 4–7, 9–12) - Donna Carnes – violin (tracks 4, 7)
- Digital Audio Engine – programming (tracks 1, 3, 8)
- Sabrina Duim harp (tracks 6, 8, 11)
- Thomas Kluge – viola (tracks 4, 7)
- Jiha LeeJiha LeeJiha Lee is the former keyboardist of the Good Life and has performed with Bright Eyes. Having left the Good Life after their second album, Black Out, she returned to record the track "Inmates" for Album of the Year. Her recordings with Bright Eyes include vocals and flute on tracks from Fevers...
– flute (tracks 6, 11) - Clay Leverett – voice (track 12), drums (tracks 6, 7, 12)
- Andy LeMasterAndy LeMasterAndy LeMaster is an American singer-songwriter and producer/engineer from Athens, Georgia. His primary band is Now It's Overhead. LeMaster has engineered, produced, and performed in many of the releases on the Saddle Creek label, including records by Bright Eyes, Now It's Overhead, Azure Ray,...
– vocals (tracks 2, 9, 12), guitar (tracks 6–9, 12), bass (tracks 6–9, 12), keyboards (tracks 6, 7), additional programming (tracks 6) - Mike MogisMike MogisMike Mogis is a Nebraskan producer/engineer and multi-instrumentalist who, along with his brother A.J. Mogis, founded Presto! Recording Studios ....
– guitar (tracks 2–4, 6, 7, 10–12), wurlitzer (tracks 1, 3, 10), keyboards, timpani (track 6), chimes (track 11), theremin (track 2), baritone (tracks 2, 9) - Stella Mogis – voice (tracks 1, 9)
- Conor OberstConor OberstConor Mullen Oberst is an American singer-songwriter best known for his work in Bright Eyes. He has also played in several other bands, including Desaparecidos, Norman Bailer , Commander Venus, Park Ave., Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, and Monsters of Folk.-Musical career:Oberst began...
– vocals, guitar (tracks 5–7, 9–11), bass (track 4), piano (track 8), wurlitzer (tracks 2, 4, 5), keyboards (tracks 2, 4, 10, 12), samples (tracks 1, 11), baritone (tracks 3, 5) - Kim Salistean – violin (tracks 4, 7)
- Jimmy TamborelloDntelJames Scott "Jimmy" Tamborello, more commonly known as Dntel , is an electronic music artist. He is sometimes cited as James Figurine, the co-programmer and vocalist for the electropop outfit Figurine. Other projects include Strictly Ballroom, Headset and The Postal Service. Tamborello has...
– programming (track 5) - Maria TaylorMaria TaylorMaria Diane Taylor is an American singer/songwriter from Birmingham, Alabama. She is also a member of the duo Azure Ray with Orenda Fink, as well as the band Now It's Overhead, both of which are signed with Saddle Creek Records...
– vocals (tracks 4, 11, 12) - Nate WalcottNate WalcottNate Walcott is a trumpet, flugelhorn and keyboard player who has appeared on several of Saddle Creek Records artists' albums. He is one of three permanent members of Bright Eyes, along with Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis, and has toured with Bright Eyes....
– trumpet (track 9), string arrangement (tracks 4, 7) - Nick WhiteNick WhiteNicholas Edward White is a musician who plays keyboards in the indie-pop group Tilly and the Wall from Omaha, Nebraska. He has also been known to play keyboards for Bright Eyes on tour...
– keyboards (tracks 7, 9) - Nick ZinnerNick ZinnerNicholas Joseph Zinner is the guitarist for the New York rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs. He is known for his "unmistakable" wild hair, skinny physique, and pale appearance...
– guitar (tracks 4, 6–8, 12), keyboards (tracks 4, 5)