Conor Oberst - Conor Oberst

Although I should have gotten over my Bright Eyes phase many years ago, there's something about Conor Oberst's blend of folk-rock that gets me every time. When I found out he had retreated to Mexico earlier this year to record a solo record with the The Mystic Valley Band and not his usual gang of Bright Eyes contributers, I was extremely intrigued to hear the results. As of last week, Conor Oberst surfaced and it is, without a doubt, the most mature effort that Oberst has put forth to date. Although his last album with Bright Eyes, Cassadaga, was pretty universal in its lyrics and less personal than his earlier releases, Conor Oberst takes that maturity one step further, lending it to his music and not just the lyrics. Alt-country guitars turn "Sausalito" into a lost Ryan Adams b-side, while wide acoustic strums and an organ make "Get-Well-Cards" sound almost radio friendly.

Normally, I would complain that Oberst had lost his edge, creating such accessible music, but in this case, each song is so wonderfully crafted with equally well-written lyrics that it's easy to ignore such accessibility. I've always been a fan of Oberst's lyrics, especially when I was an emo seventeen-year-old that almost wore out my copy of Fevers and Mirrors. On Conor Oberst though, he has upped his wordplay skills, weaving together culture references with hints of emotion that are nowhere near as personal as anything he released in Bright Eyes. "Cape Canaveral" and "Danny Callahan" are great examples of this, combining larger concepts with human emotions. Ultimately, Conor Oberst is a turning point in Oberst's career. At first, I was sad that he had shed his Bright Eyes skin, but if every solo album is going to be this great, well Oberst can release albums under any moniker for all I care.

DOWNLOAD: Conor Oberst - Conor Oberst [Merge]
Recommended Tracks: "Cape Canaveral," "Get-Well-Cards," "Danny Callahan," "I Don't Want To Die (In The Hospital)," "Souled Out!!!."