Bright Eyes return with ‘Kids Table,’ out now via Dead Oceans and offering an eight track companion piece to ‘Five Dice, All Threes.’ Led by focus track “Victory City,” the EP leans into introspection, memory, and observation, pairing Conor Oberst’s vivid lyricism with the band’s unmistakable emotional pull. Songs like “1st World Blues” and “Dyslexic Palindrome,” featuring Alynda Segarra of Hurray For The Riff Raff, showcase a project that feels playful, sharp, and deeply considered all at once. The EP lands with clarity and confidence, and it rewards close listening while still carrying that familiar Bright Eyes ache.
Across ‘Kids Table,’ Oberst, Mike Mogis, and Nate Walcott weave cultural references, wordplay, and personal reflection into songs that feel both lived in and immediate. A standout moment arrives with the haunting cover of Lucinda Williams’ “Sharp Cutting Wings (Song to a Poet),” a performance that carries quiet weight and emotional focus. The EP feels cohesive and intentional, functioning as its own small universe while sitting comfortably alongside the band’s larger catalog. This release resonates as thoughtful, generous, and creatively alive, reaffirming how Bright Eyes continue to find new ways to connect meaning and melody.