Lifted or The Story Is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground
Encyclopedia
Lifted or The Story Is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground is the fourth album by Bright Eyes. This album is the 46th release of Saddle Creek Records
. The band made its national television debut in support of the album, performing "The Trees Get Wheeled Away" (a track that was not on the album) on The Late Show with David Letterman.
s list of the best albums in 2002, and was lauded as a breakthrough album for Bright Eyes and Conor Oberst. Blender
magazine ranked the album at 52 on their list of "100 Greatest Indie-Rock Albums Ever", which appeared in the December 2007 issue.
Saddle Creek Records
Saddle Creek Records is an American record label based in Omaha, Nebraska. Started as a college class project on entrepreneurship, the label was founded by Conor Oberst and Justin Oberst in 1993 . Conor soon turned over his role in the company to Robb Nansel...
. The band made its national television debut in support of the album, performing "The Trees Get Wheeled Away" (a track that was not on the album) on The Late Show with David Letterman.
Track listing
- "The Big Picture" – 8:42
- "Method Acting" – 3:42
- "False Advertising" – 5:52
- "You Will. You? Will. You? Will. You? Will." – 3:25
- "Lover I Don't Have to LoveLover I Don't Have to Love"Lover I Don't Have to Love" is a song by Bright Eyes released as a single in 2002 and released on the album Lifted or The Story Is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground....
" – 4:00 - "Bowl of Oranges" – 4:48
- "Don't Know When But a Day Is Gonna Come" – 6:31
- "Nothing Gets Crossed Out" – 4:34
- "Make War" – 6:16
- "Waste of Paint" – 6:29
- "From a Balance Beam" – 3:40
- "Laura Laurent" – 4:56
- "Let's Not Shit Ourselves (To Love and to Be Loved)" – 10:07
Reception
Lifted received largely positive reviews, ranking fourth on Rolling StoneRolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
s list of the best albums in 2002, and was lauded as a breakthrough album for Bright Eyes and Conor Oberst. Blender
Blender (magazine)
Blender was an American music magazine that billed itself as "the ultimate guide to music and more". It was also known for sometimes steamy pictorials of celebrities....
magazine ranked the album at 52 on their list of "100 Greatest Indie-Rock Albums Ever", which appeared in the December 2007 issue.
Personnel
- Conor OberstConor OberstConor Mullen Oberst is an American singer-songwriter best known for his work in Bright Eyes. He has also played in several other bands, including Desaparecidos, Norman Bailer , Commander Venus, Park Ave., Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, and Monsters of Folk.-Musical career:Oberst began...
– guitar, piano, rhodes, organ, voice (tracks 1–13) - Mike MogisMike MogisMike Mogis is a Nebraskan producer/engineer and multi-instrumentalist who, along with his brother A.J. Mogis, founded Presto! Recording Studios ....
– banjos, bells, hammered dulcimerHammered dulcimerThe hammered dulcimer is a stringed musical instrument with the strings stretched over a trapezoidal sounding board. Typically, the hammered dulcimer is set on a stand, at an angle, before the musician, who holds small mallet hammers in each hand to strike the strings...
, vibraphone, glockenspiel, mandolin, electric guitar, dobro, pedal steel (tracks 2–9, 11–13) - Matt FochtMatt FochtMatt Focht is an American musician originally from Omaha, Nebraska. He is the lead singer and rhythm guitarist in the Chicago-based band Head of Femur...
, Clint SchnaseClint SchnaseClint Schnase is a musician from Omaha, Nebraska. He played drums in the indie-rock band Cursive from 1996 until early 2007. His official departure was announced on October 21, 2007...
, Mike SweeneyMike Sweeney (musician)Mike Sweeney is a musician from Omaha, Nebraska. He currently plays drums in the indie-rock band Criteria.-Bands:*Beep Beep*Bright Eyes*Criteria-Album Appearances:...
– drums - Todd Baechle, Jenny LewisJenny LewisJennifer Diane Lewis , is an American singer-songwriter musician and actress. She was the primary vocalist of the indie rock band Rilo Kiley, and has released two solo albums. She currently performs as part of the duo Jenny & Johnny with boyfriend Johnathan Rice...
, Blake SennettBlake SennettBlake Sennett is the lead guitarist for indie rock band Rilo Kiley and the lead singer/lead guitarist for his alt-rock side project the Elected. He was born as Blake Sennett Swendson in San Diego, California. He attended La Jolla High School with his Rilo Kiley bandmate Pierre De Reeder...
, Choir – vocal harmonies - Andy LeMasterAndy LeMasterAndy LeMaster is an American singer-songwriter and producer/engineer from Athens, Georgia. His primary band is Now It's Overhead. LeMaster has engineered, produced, and performed in many of the releases on the Saddle Creek label, including records by Bright Eyes, Now It's Overhead, Azure Ray,...
– electric guitar, keyboards, vocal harmonies (tracks 2–4, 6–8, 11) - Clark BaechleClark BaechleClark Alan Baechle is the drummer in the band The Faint. He also played in another Nebraskan band, Park Ave. He has also played on many releases and tours for Bright Eyes, playing drums and clarinet...
– drums, clarinet - Clay Leverett – drums, vocal harmonies
- Jiha LeeJiha LeeJiha Lee is the former keyboardist of the Good Life and has performed with Bright Eyes. Having left the Good Life after their second album, Black Out, she returned to record the track "Inmates" for Album of the Year. Her recordings with Bright Eyes include vocals and flute on tracks from Fevers...
– flute, vocal harmonies (tracks 3, 6, 8, 9) - Chris BrooksChris BrooksChris Brooks may refer to:*Chris Brooks , Australian guitarist*Chris Brooks , American football wide receiver...
– piano (track 9) - Gretta CohnGretta CohnGretta Cohn is a cellist who is best known for playing cello in the rock group Cursive from 2001-2005. She left the group in August 2005. Her departure was announced on the Cursive website in late August:...
– cello (tracks 3, 5, 7, 12) - Sean Cole – harmonica (tracks 9, 13)
- Julee Dunekacke – French horn (track 3)
- Margaret FishMargaret FishMargaret Ethel Fish of Wilstead, Bedfordshire was the oldest person in the United Kingdom following the death of 111-year-old Elsie Steele on 18 October 2010 until her own death on 12 March 2011, aged 112 years 5 days.She was born at Tower Hamlets and married Frank Fish, a World War I veteran, in...
– bassoon (tracks 3, 13) - Orenda FinkOrenda FinkOrenda Fink is a musician on Saddle Creek Records.Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Fink was half of the Southern dream pop duo Azure Ray from 2001 to 2004. Fink is also a former member of Now It's Overhead, another Saddle Creek band. She released her first full-length solo album Invisible Ones on...
– trumpet, vocal harmonies (tracks 2, 3, 7, 11, 13) - Jason Flatowicz – trombone (tracks 3, 13)
- Tiffany Kowalski – violin (tracks 3, 5, 7, 12)
- Matt MaginnMatt MaginnMatt Maginn is a musician from Omaha, Nebraska. He plays bass guitar in the indie-rock band Cursive and is a frequent contributor on a number of Bright Eyes records...
– bass (tracks 2, 4, 7, 9) - Casey Scott – bass (tracks 3, 8, 9, 12, 13)
- Katie Muth – oboe (tracks 3, 6, 8, 12)
- Ted StevensTed Stevens (musician)Ted Stevens is an American rock musician from Omaha, Nebraska, best known as the guitarist and backup singer for the band Cursive, as well as fronting Mayday...
– electric guitar (track 9) - Maria TaylorMaria TaylorMaria Diane Taylor is an American singer/songwriter from Birmingham, Alabama. She is also a member of the duo Azure Ray with Orenda Fink, as well as the band Now It's Overhead, both of which are signed with Saddle Creek Records...
– piano, organ, vocal harmonies (tracks 2–4, 8, 12, 13)