Matt's Track of the Week: "Take it Easy (Love Nothing)"

Song: Take it Easy (Love Nothing)

Artist: Bright Eyes

Album: Digital Ash In A Digital Urn

Year: 2005

From as far back as I can remember, I have had a soft spot in my heart for electronic-based music.  That being said, I also have a soft spot in my heart for all things Bright Eyes.  Put the two together, and we have one of my favorite albums of all-time.  

2005's Digital Ash In A Digital Urn is not quite electronica, not quite pop, and not quite rock or folk, and I think that is where the allure lies.  The track I chose to highlight, "Take it Easy (Love Nothing)", has the visual and imaginative lyrics of a Conor Oberst classic (i.e. "If you stay too long inside my memory/I'll trap you in a song tied to a melody/And I'll keep you there so you can't bother me"), coupled with some of the most intricately-layered and diverse music he's put to tape in his expansive career.  

The song chugs along with steadily muted guitars and moaning, chip-tune-like synths and fuzzy drums, reminiscent of sounds you might hear coming from a Nintendo Gameboy, alongside the lyrics of one-night stands and lessons learned, softly-sung by Oberst.  This continues up until the conclusion of the last verse, when the tension of the tight arrangement finally snaps, and the melodic elements of the song grow to fill the empty space, climbing and falling with the percussion to the end.  Unfortunately, it wasn't available to stream from Imeem.  So enjoy this live video.