One Jug of Wine, Two Vessels

Bright Eyes: Jake Bellows, Conor Oberst (vocals, guitar); Casey Scott (whistlling); Tim Haes, Mike Kratky (guitar); John Hischke (saxophone); Orenda Fink (trumpet); Nick White (keyboards); Doug Wray, Heath Konntz (bass); Bo Anderson, Roger Lewis (drums).
Bolstered by real friendship and genuine respect between its contributing artists, ONE JUG OF WINE, TWO VESSELS by Bright Eyes and Neva Dinova is the rare collaboration that meshes two singular visions seamlessly. With no prior knowledge, a listener might mistake its chief compadres--fellow Omaha singer-songwriters Conor Oberst and Jake Bellows--as members of the same band. Specializing in a drunken alt-country with a loose swing, the two take turns singing leads and playing supporting roles on their own and each other's songs. Mike Mogis pins the songs with his trademark aural draperies--from glistening vibraphones and honeyed pedal steel on "Poison" to the cello scrapes on "Black Comedy." Each track is a winner--particularly the charmingly wasted "I'll Be Your Friend" with its sax solos and sloppy guitars spilling like teqila from a dropped tumbler.