Indie-rock band Bright Eyes are back with the second single from their forthcoming album, Five Dice, All Threes. “Rainbow Overpass” is an upbeat, punky anthem that builds pace throughout the song, much like the car driving over the imagined rainbow overpass in the lyrics. All puns intended, it’s an overtly bright track, with an anthemic chorus.
Bright Eyes are joined by The So So Glos’ Alex Orange Drink on the track. “Alex and I wrote a lot of the songs together, but ‘Rainbow Overpass’ is the only one he gets [to sing] a verse,” shared frontperson Conor Oberst in a statement about the collaboration. “He’s kinda like my hype man, getting a little Beastie Boys on the shit! They grew up on punk rock and the Beasties, so there are a lot of little bursts of other voices. I like that. It creates energy. Sometimes music can feel flat until you get into a live situation, when there’s adrenaline and raw energy. Instead of working in reverse, where that happens as we tour, I was trying to get some of that energy onto the record.”
Bright Eyes’ tenth album and first in four years, Five Dice, All Threes, will be out on September 20th via Dead Oceans. The band has also announced an expansive North American tour in 2025. Presale starts August 7, with general tickets going on sale August 9. You can catch Bright Eyes playing in Philly at The Met on April 19, more details here.