Motion Sickness: Live Recordings

Bright Eyes | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 6, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Team Love Records
• ASIN: B000CCXOHW
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #160,822 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Bright Eyes releases their third album of 2005, and this time it's a live collection. Motion Sickness is Conor Oberst and act's first live album from his own label, Team Love. The album contains a pair of non-album covers, Elliott Smith’s 'The Biggest Lie' and Fiest’s 'Mushaboom'. Oberst is sticking to his indie or die guns on the album, too. Expanding his anti-corporate campaign from avoiding Clear Channel venues, a policy that recently led to a rescheduled show in St. Louis. Saddle Creek. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you liked I'm Wide Awake It's Morning you should love this album, December 16, 2005

By 

Joel Andrew (Middle America) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Motion Sickness (Audio CD)

This is a great live album in general; the quality is crystal. Connor's live voice is incredibly close to his studio versions, however, the live album caries some quicker tempos and perhaps, more energy. The nuances of his emotive stylings come through in the live versions, which make this Motion Sickness worth the purchase. For all you upset NPR couldn't release the DC performance, this album is just as great. The live performance of "Method Acting" is as good as I've ever found. Those tired of painful quality of live low-fi recordings of a genius low-fi artist will seriously appreciate an album that truly encompasses Bright Eyes' 2005 IWAIM tour. It captures the country twang Oberst adopted along with the predominant use of trumpet and slide guitars which make his new album so unique. There are some great covers such as Mushaboom (Feist) as well as a Nick Drake number. Also, I actually prefer `True Blue' live to the Lua Single studio edition. 'Southern State' is a beautiful song that is more appreciated on repeat listenings.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Close...But No Comparison, May 18, 2006

By 

Taylor Steele "Loyola" (Nixa, MO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Motion Sickness: Live Recordings (Audio CD)

I had the opportunity to see Bright Eyes last year, and this album had been released at about the same time. It was nice to be able to compare the live show with a live recording, especially after just having seen him.

Conor is a great performer, and even though people tend to have a problem with his voice (which is true of a lot of great artists, Bob Dylan included) I thought his vocal delivery was perfect, both live and on this recording. It's his little inflections, dropped notes and small flaws that give his words and stories character. But he never missed a beat and you can tell he really loves doing what he does.

As well as Conor, Nate Walcott's horn and keys are essential in making these songs what they are, and on this recording you can hear how large of a part he plays in bringing the songs to life. And Bright Eyes guitarist/producer Mike Mogis is also a fantastic asset in this live setting. Conor tends to have a rotating lineup of players on tour with him, but his bands are always amazing together, and this one is no exception.

Someone mentioned their frustration with the songs chosen for this recording, and I will agree. There were a lot of songs I was hoping to hear live and didn't, but I'm sure there was a reason for the choices, and most of this material was pulled from "I'm Wide Awake...", as well as some covers and unreleased material. I thought the Feist cover was great, and Bright Eyes covering Elliott Smith? Awesome. Conor has admitted that Elliott was a huge influence, and it's always nice when artists pay homage to the greats. "True Blue" is a cute little song that I was glad made the cut, and "When the President Talks to God" was a must-have considering all that has happened since the Vote-for-Change tour, where Bright Eyes first unveiled the protest masterpiece.

The recording is good, and it's nice to finally have an official Bright Eyes live cd, however if you get the chance to see him live, I hope you do. If you can sit through the teenage girls yelling random things about impregnation, I think you'll see a great young songwriter who is well on his way to becoming a mainstay in contemporary folk/rock.

Now...to the people who would try to make arguments about that which they do not understand (i.e. some of the reviewers below): to compare Conor Oberst to Bob Dylan is a slap in the face...to Dylan. As great as he is, Conor is 25. Bob Dylan is an American songwriting legend, Bright Eyes is a kid. Though well on his way to being what Bob Dylan has been to a new generation, it is entirely impossible to hold the two together. Conor's vocal and instrumental abilies may not be the best, but it's what he is saying and doing that matters, not just how well his fingers are moving up and down the fret board. Sometimes it's the sloppiness that makes it special. And, lastly, "I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning" is not entirely political. There are plenty of songs that are personal experiences, or the experiences of others, with no politically charged elements, whatsoever. "Lua", "First Day Of My Life" (a love song, no doubt), and "Poison Oak" are, quite simply, well written songs about life.

Don't generalize. It's rude.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing, heartfelt, raw with emotion masterpiece, February 21, 2006

By 

Yellow Bird "Erica" (Kansas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Motion Sickness: Live Recordings (Audio CD)

If you are a Bright Eyes fan at all, you will immediately love it. Even if your not a fan...you will enjoy. #2 Lua is one of my favorite tracks on the cd. There is a Feist cover that is awesome. True Blue is a good one. And so is make war. The horns in the backround make the record complete and it's cool to hear Conor's voice on some of the tracks w/ out the back up singers. It really is an amazing cd, I love it. Its one of my new favorites for sure.