Everybody has the old picture book they read growing up, filled with vivid images and smart social commentary hidden by an innocent facade that makes for a warm, welcoming package (despite the fact that the binding is falling off, pages are missing, and the ones that are remaining contain tears and stains). We grow up reading these stories and growing to know the characters. From an older and more mature standpoint, we can appreciate the brilliant crafting of the language and the timeless themes that carry on into the real world. In 2002, it felt like what America needed most was one such story, or rather, collection of stories to help us cope with the times.
<i>LIFTED or The Story Is In The Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground</i>, with it's pretentious illustrations, personal lyricism, and arrangements ranging from an acoustic guitar to an overblown string ensemble, drum corps, and horn section, was a force to be reckoned with. At times, Oberst's self-pity can be an emotional drift from his Americana roots (as noticed in "Lover I Don't Have to Love", an emotional tale of love or a lack thereof). However, it's the moments of honesty and innocence in which Conor Oberst succeeds.
The epic swell of "Don't Know When But a Day is Gonna Come" leaves the listener with a dropped-jaw and a sense of inspiration. The simplistic regressions into 3-chord folk also stand out as key moments of the album. Opener "The Big Picture" indulges in Oberst's beloved use of sound effects. However, the message at the core of this bizarre track rings with a message pure and strong with lyrics about alcohalism, religion, and storytelling. "Waste of Paint" tells about relationships with loved ones and family with a raw acoustic riff and a low quality microphone recording.
<i>LIFTED</i> feels like a mix of feelings, almost like a transition period from the raw teenage angst of previous works into the mature Americana of <i>I'm Wide Awake It's Morning</i>. The recordings are raw and unpolished, certain tracks are suprisingly weak, and Conor Oberst's voice is wavery and uncertain. However, there is a certain charm about <i>LIFTED</i> that is undeniable, even to the detractors. Like a good children's book, <i>LIFTED or The Story is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground</i> is enjoyable to the younger generation as a collection of fables all of us can relate to in some form or another. And like a good children's book, these fables will prove the test of time as insightful wisdom into faith, trust, and love.
