Desaparecidos Read Music/Speak Spanish CD

With Bright Eyes, Conor Oberst wears his languishing heart on his sleeve, channeling his most personal emotions via intense acoustic-based indie rock. The talented young songwriter seems ready to burst out into something noisier, and he gets that chance with Desaparecidos. On Read Music/Speak Spanish, the band rocks out with more of an emo edge, typified by blaring guitars and raging vocals. With fellow Omaha guitarist/songwriter Denver Dalley, bassist Landon Hedges, keyboardist Ian McElroy, and drummer Matt Baum (Baum and McElroy have toured with Bright Eyes, while Hedges plays in labelmate the Good Life), the group critiques American materialism and consumerism. Songs such as "Greater Omaha" and "Mall of America" resonate with sincerity, while Oberst's vocals quiver and scream about money and society. With such a convincing voice, there's never a time when his lyrics are less than earnest. This debut full-length was recorded in one week, which, as a result, adds to its unabashed rawness. ~ Kenyon Hopkin

2nd Rel;1st Full Length;Conor Oberst(Bright Eyes)Denver Dall

Recording information: Presto!.

Desaparecidos: Conor Oberst (vocals, guitar); Landon Hedges (guitar, bass); Denver Dalley (guitar); Ian McElroy (keyboards); Matt Baum (drums).

Personnel: Conor Oberst (vocals, guitar); Landon Hedges (vocals); Denver Dalley (guitar); Ian McElroy (keyboards); Matt Baum (drums).

Rolling Stone (5/9/02, p.74) - 3 out of 5 stars - "...Oberst coats an anthemic thrash...in glistening guitar sludge and rasps indignantly about the degeneration of his hometown..."
Spin (May 2002, pp.115-116) - 9 out of 10 - "...Desaparecidos articulate the pain of America's stuffed-crust belt....[they turn] emo's sensitivity into a lens thorugh which to view a wider world..."
Entertainment Weekly (3/8/02, p.75) - "...The sort of howlingly tuneful Midwestern punk that disappeared with Husker Du..." - Rating: A-
Q (3/02, p.118) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...Frenetic guitar rock and a lyrical dissection of America's rampant consumerism....Shambolic yet tuneful..."
Alternative Press (4/02, p.71) - 9 out of 10 - "...[The band's] full-on emo-in-the-garage assault is more or less what you figured Bright Eyes would sound like if they turned up to 11..."
Mojo (Publisher) (April 2002, p.96) - "...A brilliant concept album about the cultrual bankruptcy of middle-class, middle-of-the-road, middle America...an homage to classic rock riff-lore..."
NME (Magazine) (3/23/02, p.37) - 7 out of 10 - "...Conor Oberst's [has assembled] a thunder-riffed, butt-kicking garage punk band to yodel painfully over the top of..."