Album Review: Conor Oberst (self titled)

Now I need to start this review off by saying I am nowhere near a non-biased party when it comes to Bright Eyes and the music of Conor Oberst. Ever since the album Lifted Or The Story Is In The Soil, Keep Your Ear To The Ground came out I have used his music as a form of relief from the cruelties and heartaches that inevitably come with being human. So it was with great excitement that I purchased and began to listen to Oberst's first 'solo' album. I use the quotes in solo simply because throughout his career, although going under the moniker of Bright Eyes, Oberst has been the only constant in an ever revolving number of bandmates. Critics who look down on him for abandoning his band are simply wrong; the music and vision of Bright Eyes has always started and stopped with its frontman. With that said it is ultimately the music that speaks for itself and this album does not fail to deliver. Fans of Bright Eyes will not be completely left in the dark, this is not a transformed or reinvented Oberst, rather be treated to the natural progression of his music; the album reflects a greater depth of maturity and focus consistant with an artist still moving upward towards his prime. It has been said that Conor Oberst is the Bob Dylan of our generation and while this is a very lofty comparasion it is safe to say that he is very; using lyrics and feelings along with simple melodies to convey and bring about emotions in his listeners. Overall the album is very enjoyable and listening through it I did not find myself wanting to skip tracks or become let down and disappointed at having bought the album in the first place. Notable tracks include 'Souled Out' a fairly upbeat track that discusses heaven being all sold out and equates the very concept to fairy tales. During one verse Oberst talks about his own fears with regards to the afterlife, "I woke up in the age of wires/ I fell asleep at the dusk of man/ now I’m cold/ fingers crossed in the promised land." Other notables are the very country sounding 'Sausalito' and the very fast paced and ironic 'I Don't Want to Die (in a hospital)'. I highly recommend this album for both fans of Oberst's previous albums as well as people completely unfamiliar with his music. With witty, thought provoking lyrics layed on top of melodic tunes it will be very hard to be unsatisfied with this work.