Conor Oberst Writing Unpolitical Bright Eyes Album

Conor Oberst has revealed that the next Bright Eyes album will refrain from being overtly political because that would be “too easy”.

Despite the fact that political debates about the Iraq war, immigration and gay marriage are currently dominating social commentary in the US Oberst says there is no need for him to take aim at the current incumbents of power.

He told MTV of his new material: "I don't think there's going to be any more overtly political stuff. I mean, obviously, we need to have some kind of change in the mid-term elections and in the next presidential election, but when I sing the songs now, it's like shooting fish in a barrel. It's too easy”

He added: "Everyone knows we have an incompetent administration. Back in 2003, 2004, it was different. The idea of going out now and hitting people over the head with it doesn't appeal to me (because) I feel that people are coming around."

Oberst has been shacked up in his home studio in Omaha, Nebraska writing the new Bright Eyes album with a band made up of Nate Walcott and Saddle Creek producer and multi-instrumentalist Mike Mogis.

He plans to have the recording done by November with a planned release date of March/ April 2007.

Of the songs written so far he said: “The songs reflect all the things we're into: The folky, storytelling aspect of the music, the psychedelic studio vibe and the rock we all grew up doing."

"We have a lot of ideas. I write songs and Mike is great at setting up microphones to get specific sounds, and Nate is a great piano player and a great trumpet player, and he writes and arranges string parts, too. I bought a new house and we're building the studio there, to finish the record. Mike and I have connecting houses, with the studio in between. It's like a compound."

Other artists set to feature on the album include My Morning Jacket front man Jim James, Sleater Kinney drummer Janet Weiss and fellow folk musician M. Ward.