Bushy Tailed

At this point, it really doesn't matter what young Conor Oberst does. There will be those who snivel and crab about what a milquetoast indie poseur he is, while others will crush hard and valiantly defend his talent. But regardless of the fickle wave of opinion, at age 24, Mr. Bright Eyes is still precocious -- and prolific. Last week was probably his busiest yet, as he released a grand-slam combo of the techie Digital Ash in a Digital Urn plus the cozy-as-a-bowl-of-soup, folk-infused I'm Wide Awake It's Morning. With Postal Service hero Jimmy Tamberello behind the decks on several tracks, Digital Ash is the zippier of the two and therefore instantly accessible. Wide Awake, on the other hand, will be considered the better man, not least for its showcasing of the venerable Emmylou Harris and more of Oberst's heartfelt quavering. Toss the recent, long-winded New York Times profile in the mix and you've got one hot topic.

Bright Eyes plays at 7 p.m. Thursday, February 3, at the Gusman Center, 174 E. Flagler St., Miami. Tickets start at $22. Call 305-374-2444.