"Half Irish wake, half anguish"

With striking personal style, Bright Eyes' "Digital Ash in a Digital Urn" reveals what project mastermind Conor Oberst thinks about when he's not thinking about alcohol, misery, drugs and sex, and it's the earthly end-all be-all - death.

"Digital Ash in a Digital Urn" is one of two albums Bright Eyes released Tuesday, and is dedicated to Stella Marie Mogis and RoseMarie Gentile, two of Oberst's friends who passed away. Yet, the memory of loved ones is only a part of the story, as Oberst's pre-occupation with death - and his cunning use of linguistics - saturate the record to an almost tragic extent.

Only the oft miserable, sometimes hopeful Oberst could write songs about death in such a pleasant tone. There is no doubt that Oberst is very afraid of his final hour, but the instrumentation he uses to create his dirges is smart and bright. From the charming flute on "Theme From Pinata," to the subtle use of trumpet on "Ship In A Bottle," Bright Eyes has a terrific feel for when to apply added melody, and how much of it to use.

Oberst continues to struggle with his atheism through miserably attracting eleventh-hour pleas. On "Hit the Switch," he sings, "Sometimes I pray I don't die/ I'm a G**damn hypocrite/ Then night rolls around and it all starts making sense/ There is no right way or wrong way/ You just have to live."

Eventually, of course, Oberst gets around to his bread and butter with Bright Eyes, penning songs about his desire to stay with girls he begins to care for, and his inability to commit. The songs are great, but the plot is getting a little old, mostly because some bonnie lass broke it off with him when he was younger, and he's still shaken.

"Take It Easy (Love Nothing)" is a witty explanation to a potential lover - a pre-affair "I won't be here in the morning," if you will. A similar sentiment echoes throughout "I Believe In Symmetry," with a more honest sense of authorship.

The trouble with writing about Oberst's work is that the kid has a gift for wordplay that begs to leave a review laden with lyric references. In Bright Eyes' past work, it was a blessing, but on "Digital Ash in a Digital Urn," it's a curse. Ignoring the remarkable instrumentation to read lyrics is a crime punishable by Nickelback.

A serious sentence, indeed.

Standout track: "Easy/Lucky/Free."