Conor Oberst

Conor Oberst

• Release Date: August 5, 2008
• Label: Merge Records

It took 13 years, but Oberst has finally released his 4th solo album. Not much has changed since Bright Eyes' Cassadaga was released in April of 2007. Granted, hardly any album Oberst has made has deviated from his folk-indie roots (except for Digital Ash In a Digital Urn). A line from "Danny Callahan" proves that Oberst still has creative ways of getting his messages across. "We feign sickness with our modern joy." Conor has always had a way of hooking you with his lyrics before you even hear the melodies.

"Cape Canaveral," the opening track is a page straight out of 2005's I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning. The minimalistic guitar melody fused with lyrics such as "saw the migrants smoke in the old orange grove" start the album off in a nostalgic light.

"Lenders In the Temple" brings thoughts of solitude and despair, noting "I'd give a fortune to your infomercial if somebody would just take my call."

After hearing "Valle Mistico (Ruben's Song)," which is nothing but a pointless instrumental break, I was concerned with how the record would end.

The final two tracks, "Souled Out!!!" and "Milk Thistle," relieved me of my worries and completed one of 2008's top albums with this line: "If I go to heaven, I'll be bored as hell/Like a crying baby at the bottom of a well."

A few of the Bright Eyes cast joined him on his self-titled solo album, most notably Nate Walcott. The others, consisting of Jason Boesel, Nik Freitas, Taylor Hollingsworth, and Macey Taylor call themselves The Mystic Valley Band.

I have to admit, I'm a sucker for 3 things. Beautiful eyes, Seinfeld, and moving lyrics. Although the formers are irrelevant, the latter plays out perfectly. This album couldn't have been written or produced any better. If this were an algebra class, the formula for this would be I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning + (Cassadaga - the over-production) = Conor Oberst.


Final Rating: 8.5/10

Tour Dates
Lyrics


Souled Out!!!

Related Artists:
Bright Eyes
Commander Venus
Desaparecidos
Kevin Devine
The Good Life
Neva Dinova
Son, Ambulance


Note: Clicking the album art will take you to Conor's website. There is a music player that allows full-length track listening.

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