Our first taste of the new Bright Eyes album, The People’s Key, arrived this morning in the form of “Shell Games,” a free download, which is also available for purchase bundled with the bonus B-side “Singularity” on iTunes.
Just as Conor Oberst suggested, gone are the acoustic guitars/alt-country tinges of Cassadaga and his past couple solo efforts. Now donning piano and synths broken up by a few fuzzy guitar riffs and crisp drumbeats aboard an economical arrangement, it seems that Bright Eyes are stepping in a fresh — arguably more refined — direction. As a fan of Digital Ash in a Digital Urn, “Shell Games” feels both promising and a bit sonically familiar.
Check out the album cover above, pre-order one of 5 tiered pricing options or download the track here, and stream “Shell Games” below:
“Shell Games”