One Jug of Wine, Two Vessels - CRC040
Author: Heather Phares
Much like Home, Vol. 4, Conor Oberst's collaboration withSpoon's Britt Daniel, One Jug of Wine, Two Vessels is a meeting of the minds between Oberst and his friends Neva Dinova. That band's singer/songwriter, Jake Bellows, andOberst got together in fall 2003 to collaborate on some songs, and though the results aren't quite as accomplished as either band's work on its own, the six songs here are pretty and entertaining enough to please both Bright Eyes and Neva Dinova fans. Though the bands have pooled their resources,Oberst's and Bellows' identities still shine through on their respective tracks. Bellows' rounded vocals sound even better in the context of the EP's relaxed, between-friends atmosphere: the dreamy, slightly twangy "Tripped," "Poison," and "Get Back" have a pleasantly broken-in sound that recalls not only Neva Dinova's own work, but a slightly edgier take onRon Sexsmith's sound as well. Likewise, the Bright Eyes tracks don't stray too far from the lusher sound Oberst went for on Lifted or the Story Is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground. "Black Comedy" is another piece of the bordering on melodramatic pop in which Oberstspecializes; "I'll Be Your Friend" adds some over-the-top sax to a typically bouncy, lilting song that reflects the lighter side of Bright Eyes; and "Spring Cleaning" ends the EP on a simple, and simply pretty, acoustic note. More focused and thoughtful than many collaborations between musicians that are also friends, One Jug of Wine, Two Vessels is hopefully the start of a beautiful musical friendship between Oberst and Bellows.