Yesterday, solo indie act Bright Eyes released six songs on an EP entitled Four Winds, though it was already “leaked” online earlier this year. The title track will be appearing on their forthcoming album, Cassadaga. For the first minute of four winds you might be worried that we’ve slipped in a country song, but the arrival of Conor’s vocals should calm you down. His sound achieves that ‘vulnerable angst’ so popular with indie singers these days. The single is bouncy with a hint of Hammond organ and a prominent fiddle part that actually suits the song well.

The rest of the EP is made up of earlier b-side material, which often sounds like b-side material. I liked reinvent the wheel, but songs like smoke without fire and tourist trap would have to be enjoyed in the lazy, mellow mood in which they were probably written. While some scene kids might say their indie credibility dropped a few notches after a reference in a Saturday Night Live skit, I’m looking forward to the full album.

Bright Eyes - four winds