Although he may be out of his teens now, Oberst is nonetheless noteworthy in his musical accomplishments. At the ripe old age of 14, he was the singer and guitarist in Commander Venus. After two albums, the band broke up and he went on to form Bright Eyes.

From there, while still actively involved in Bright Eyes, Oberst went one further and formed another band, the Desaparecidos.

In some ways, the Desaparecidos seem to offer Oberst an outlet for his pent-up post-adolescent rage. The subject matter his second band attacks – urban development, new American Dream, the sacrifice of human value for the dollar bill – differs vastly from Bright Eyes’ nostalgic love letters. And yet, Oberst’s stamp is present in the vocals and song structures.

Bright Eyes, however, tend to stick to ruminations on Oberst’s love life and his worries about the future. The group released their fourth album, Lifted Or The Story Is In The Soil, Keep Your Ear To The Ground, in August. The disc follows Bright Eyes’ acclaimed Fevers And Mirrors.

Last fall, the two bands took to the road in separate tours. This time around, Bright Eyes are back with their own outing. The tour stretches from April 1 through mid-May, and looks to hit theatres and clubs alike, with a few venues still being worked out. Arab Strap support on all dates.