Stream Three EPs of Re-Recorded Old Music

We hope you have a box of tissues nearby, because Bright Eyes have today unveiled reworked versions of some of their earliest songs. To accompany the recent reissues of their 1998 debut A Collection of Songs Written and Recorded 1995-1997, 1998’s Letting Off the Happiness, and 2000’s Fevers and Mirrors, Conor Oberst and company have released a companion EP for each album, each comprising re-recordings of five album tracks plus a cover of a song that especially inspired them when they originally made that album.

But Bright Eyes didn’t embark on this ambitious project alone: To help them, the band enlisted pals like Phoebe Bridgers, Waxahatchee’s Katie Crutchfield, and M. Ward to contribute. In addition to hearing Oberst covering Simon Joyner, Lullaby for the Working Class, and — duh — Elliott Smith, we also get to hear Bridgers provide backing vocals on Fevers and Mirrors highlight “Haligh, Haligh, A Lie, Haligh” and Crutchfield adding her own flair to one of her favorite Bright Eyes songs, “Contrast and Compare.” In total, there’s 54 new Bright Eyes recordings to hear.

“It’s a meaningful way to connect with the past that doesn’t feel totally nostalgic and self-indulgent,” Oberst said of the series in a statement. “We are taking these songs and making them interesting to us all over again. I like that. I like a challenge. I like to be forced to do something that’s slightly hard, just to see if we can.” Perhaps he should’ve labeled the re-recordings “Conor’s Version.” Stream each of the companion EPs via Spotify or Apple Music, and see their full tracklists, below.

Given there’s not any more unexpected interruptions, Bright Eyes are in the midst of their newly-expanded 2022 tour. Grab tickets over at Ticketmaster.

A Collection of Songs Written and Recorded 1995-1997: A Companion EP Artwork:

A Collection of Songs Written and Recorded 1995-1997: A Companion EP Tracklist:
01. Driving Fast Through a Big City at Night
02. Solid Jackson
03. A Celebration Upon Completion
04. Falling Out of Love at This Volume
05. Exaltation on a Cool Kitchen Floor
06. Double Joe (Simon Joyner cover)