Arty Album Art: Bright Eyes - Fevers and Mirrors

Art design and layout: Zack Nipper, Robb Nansel
Wallpaper photographs: Jamie Williams, Kimberly Hager

According to the liner notes, Conor Oberst recorded Fevers and Mirrors "for the most part in the final month of the twentieth century in Lincoln, NE". That, in itself, should give us a clue as to the theme of the third album from Mr The Rest Of My Anatomy Ain't Very Bright.

So what's the theme, you ask? Ummm... well, let's investigate. The cover as got this mirror-like frame going, plus a wallpaper motif. Ummm...

Nope, I'm stumped. What does a mirror and wallpaper have to do with a singer-songwriter who writes lyrics such as "So don't leave me here with only mirrors watching me"? I don't see the correlation one bit. Sheesh.

Let's open it up and see if we can infer something more, shall we?

Alright, so the CD also has the reflection thingy plus more curly wurlies. Okay, okay, I got it. He's trying to tell us to floss!

No?

Fine. Digging deeper...

Aha! So that mirror thingy is just a piece of floppy plastic. Conor is promoting shiny origami!

Hey, stop slapping your head. You'll hurt yourself.

This is annoying. What else can it be? I've scoured all over the artwork, put it under UV light and even sent it to 19 universities for six months of rigorous testing. They've all sent back their results, with some thick, wire-bound dissertations that all seem to use the words "self", "reflection", "depression", "dimwit" and "if you don't get it, we'll chop your fingers" in their titles. But all that ain't helping me one bit. I feel like throwing in the towe...

Wait. I see something.

There you are! Cutie pie. I totally get it now! Your album is about your dabbles with interior decorating when you were 13!

Parsons, here I come.

Bright Eyes - The Center of the World (from Fevers and Mirrors) [BUY]