Bright Eyes' Four Winds single out now, Cassadaga CD/LP now available for pre-order;
 

Bright Eyes' Four Winds single out now, Cassadaga CD/LP now available for pre-order; new tour dates announced!

Cassadaga, the new full-length from Bright Eyes, will be released on April 10. Pre-orders are now being taken in the online store, where you can also sample two tracks from the record. For a limited time, pre-orders will include a special 3" CD (for CD pre-orders) or 7" (for LP pre-orders) with a non-album track! And if that's not enough, pre-orders will ship from here on March 27, two weeks before the release date!

In stores now is first single from the album, Four Winds CD/12". The single includes "Four Winds" plus 5 exclusive b-sides and is now shipping from the online store. Also out now is the stellar video for "Four Winds." Check it out on the Cassadaga site at saddle creek or a video outlet near you.

Touring for Cassadaga is now underway. The current tour is completely sold out, but a larger US tour is planned for April 22 through June 1! Full dates are listed below. Pre-sale tickets for all shows will go on sale this Saturday, March 10. Check here for pre-sale ticket information. The general public on-sales for most shows will be on March 17. Stay tuned to the saddle creek tours page for updates and ticket links.

Bright Eyes - Cassadaga
Other than a handful of live appearances and the release of a collection of B-sides & rarities, Bright Eyes kept mostly out of sight last year after the busy 2005 which saw the simultaneous release of the sister albums I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning and Digital Ash in a Digital Urn. The band stayed tucked away in various studios around the country in 2006, and resurface with their most confident work so far – Cassadaga – an album full of soaring strings and female harmonies that feels almost buoyant in comparison to previous releases.

Once tagged "rock's boy genius" by the music press, Conor Oberst turned 27 earlier this year and even without that in mind, it's hard to listen to Cassadaga without hearing a newfound sophistication to the Bright Eyes sound. Producer, multi-instrumentalist and permanent band member Mike Mogis has crafted a swirling, euphonious record, at times bursting with bombastic confidence and country swagger, and at others loose-limbed and mesmeric. Trumpet and piano player Nate Walcott, a Bright Eyes player since 2003 and its third permanent member, adds cinematic string arrangements and cascading countermelodies.

While many latched onto the smattering of political commentary in 2005's I'm Wide Awake..., Cassadaga is less blunt in its depiction of youthful exasperation in the Bush era. References to Hurricane Katrina, holy wars and polar ice-caps may crop up, but they're buried deep amongst the ruminations on life, love, history, death and the afterlife.

Bright Eyes - Winter and Spring 2007
Wed-Mar-07, Los Angeles, CA, El Rey
Thu-Mar-08, Los Angeles, CA. El Rey
Fri-Mar-09, San Francisco, CA, Great American Music Hall
Sat-Mar-10, San Francisco, CA, Great American Music Hall
Sun-Mar-11, Seattle, WA, Showbox

Fri-Mar-16, London, UK, Koko
Sun-Mar-18, Oxford, UK, Brooks University
Thu-Mar-22, Oslo, Compolite
Sat-Mar-24, Stockholm, Debaser
Mon-Mar-26, Berlin, Columbia Club
Tue-Mar-27, Cologne, Gloria
Fri-Mar-30, Paris, Cafe de la Danse
Sat-Mar-31, Amsterdam, Melkweg

Sun-Apr-22, Milwaukee, WI, Pabst Theatre
Mon-Apr-23, Chicago, IL, Riviera Theatre
Tue-Apr-24, Chicago, IL, Riviera Theatre
Wed-Apr-25, Minneapolis, MN, State Theatre
Thu-Apr-26, Omaha, NE, Holland Performing Arts Center
Sat-Apr-28, Denver, CO, Temple Hoyne Buell Theatre
Sun-Apr-29, Salt Lake City, UT, Kingsbury Hall
Tue-May-01, Seattle, WA, Paramount Theatre
Wed-May-02, Portland, OR, Crystal Ballroom
Fri-May-04, Berkeley, CA, Greek Theatre
Sat-May-05, Santa Barbara, CA, Arlington Theatre
Sun-May-06, Los Angeles, CA, Walt Disney Concert Hall
Tue-May-08, San Diego, CA, SOMA
Wed-May-09, Mesa, AZ, Mesa Amphitheatre
Fri-May-11, Dallas, TX, Palladium Ballroom
Sat-May-12, Tulsa, OK, Cain's Ballroom
Sun-May-13, Austin, TX, Bass Concert Hall
Tue-May-15, New Orleans, LA, Republic
Wed-May-16, Tampa, FL, Carol Morsani Hall
Thu-May-17, Orlando, FL, Hard Rock Live
Fri-May-18, Atlanta, GA, Fox Theatre
Sat-May-19, Nashville, TN, Ryman Auditorium
Sun-May-20, Columbus, OH, Wexner Center
Mon-May-21, Royal Oak, MI, Royal Oak Music Theatre
Tue-May-22, Toronto, ONT, Massey Hall
Thu-May-24, Boston, MA, WANG Center
Fri-May-25, New York, NY, Town Hall
Sat-May-26, New York, NY, Town Hall
Mon-May-28, New York, NY, Town Hall
Tue-May-29, New York, NY, Town Hall
Wed-May-30, New York, NY, Town Hall
Thu-May-31, New York, NY, Town Hall
Fri-Jun-01, New York, NY, Town Hall
4/22-5/2, 5/8-5/17 with McCarthy Trenching
4/22-5/24 with Oakley Hall
5/4 with Jim James
5/4-5/6, 5/18-6/1 with Gillian Welch

Check the tours page at saddle-creek.com for updates.