8. Bright Eyes

Bright Eyes singer-songwriter Conor Oberst tries something different every time out. He released I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning simultaneously with Digital Ash in a Digital Urn, two albums exploring opposite sides of his sound. Digital Ash was noised up with glitch production and crazed guitar from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Nick Zinner. But I'm Wide Awake is Oberst at his folkiest, even bringing in Emmylou Harris for that touch of Gram Parsons country-rock tradition. The songs are his strongest yet, showcasing his trembly voice, acoustic guitar and dewy-eyed romanticism. "Lua" is a bleak ballad, following two messed-up kids on an all-night search for the next party, as they try and fail to protect each other from their own self-destructive demons. But "First Day of My Life," featuring the motto "I'd rather be working for a paycheck/Than waiting to win the lottery," is an inspiring love ballad from a wunderkind who's just begun having his fun.

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