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From the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning
2005
Album Summary
Note: This album has been submitted by a user and is not included in any edition of the book.
I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning is the sixth studio album by American band Bright Eyes, released on January 25, 2005 by Saddle Creek Records (the same day as their seventh album, Digital Ash in a Digital Urn).
The album was reissued by Dead Oceans alongside a six-track companion EP on November 11, 2022.
I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning received widespread acclaim from music critics. At Metacritic, the album received an average score of 85 out of 100, based on 33 reviews, which indicates "universal acclaim". Los Angeles Times describes it as "An album with the simmering glow of a masterpiece."
Drowned in Sound critic Sean Adams called the album a "thing of awe", praising the lyrics and "calculated attention to detail".
Pitchfork's Chris Dahlen gave the album 8.7 out of 10 and states "I'm Wide Awake weaves the personal and the political more fluidly than most singers even care to try, and the consummate tunefulness just strengthens those moments where he pinches a nerve."
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Sep 21 2025
4
It’s taken me a couple of weeks to get my head around this album.
On my first listen, the album didn’t immediately grab me, until the final track hit. Something about it just clicked, and suddenly I felt compelled to go back and hear the whole thing again.
On that second listen, it opened up for me in a big way. The mix of raw emotion and layered storytelling reminded me of a cross between Brand New and Black Country, New Road.
Now a few weeks on it’s firmly in my regular rotation, a great album that rewards patience and revisiting.
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Sep 22 2025
3
Hey guys Riley from hivemind here
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Sep 25 2025
3
Pretty nice
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Sep 21 2025
2
If the vocals are meant to carry the repetitive, uninspired instrumentals, then they're doing a pretty sore job – purely a matter of taste, but I just do not enjoy vocal-driven music where the focus is supposed to be on the narrative/delivery. There are flashes of interest where the instrumentals get a bit interesting and mesh well with the story being told, but mostly this is one step above a singer-songwriter LP. Understand why this was so significant in the early days of modern indie, but it just hasn't aged into something I enjoy.
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