Bright Eyes: Conor Oberst (vocals, various instruments); Electric Shepherd (programming); Mike Mogis (sound effects).
Conor Oberst, the singer-songwriter who employs a rotating roster of musicians to release records under the name Bright Eyes, seems to inspire in listeners either rabid devotion or vehement disdain. The man's quavering emotive voice, sensitive indie-folk sound, poetic lyrics, and songs of heartbreak and melancholic reflection may not be to everyone's taste, but no one can say he's not ambitious. Oberst has released a steady flood of albums since he was in his early teens, and has shown no signs of slowing.
Given his rate of production, one might rightfully assume the artist is sitting on towers of unreleased tracks. NOISE FLOOR (2006) brings some of those tracks together. Singles, collaborations, covers, and other rarities fill out the set list here, and represent what Oberst does best by ranging from intimate folk ("Soon You Will Be Leaving Your Man") to articulate, expansive pop ("Trees Get Wheeled Away") to the spare and spooky ("Weather Reports"). Detractors are unlikely to be converted by NOISE FLOOR, but diehard fans will certainly want to add it to their collection.

Rolling Stone (p.130) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "[R]ambling acoustic songs, unwieldy noise experiments and homespun rock, with warbled beauty and choruses that tumble out and curl up on your lap."
Entertainment Weekly (p.73) - "These B sides and studio ephemera, by turns folksy and noisy, demonstrate his appeal." -- Grade: B+
Q (p.147) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "Oberst unveils a set of modestly sparkling gems..."