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Conor Oberst Conor Oberst You'll like it if you like: Elliott Smith, Wilco's Sky Blue Sky
We used to think that Bright Eyes and Conor Oberst were identical musical entities, that the artist's real name was a mere effort to differentiate his private from his public life. He has proved us wrong.
Now Oberst, not Bright Eyes, has released a self-titled solo album immersed in upbeat alt-country and bluegrass. Conor Oberst, recorded in the magical town of Tepoztlan in Mexico, tries to distance itself from Bright Eyes' political and melodramatic tones, evoking a more positive aura with tunes about road trips and mystical, yet friendly, places.
The album spans Mexico City, New York and California, proving there's hope for inner reconciliation outside our homes. As Oberst sings in "Moab," "There is nothing that the road cannot heal." The barn dance anthems of "Sausalito" and "NYC-Gone, Gone" also carry the same joyful themes of adolescent escapism.
But it was impossible for Oberst to escape his love for emo folk. The Omaha artist delivers a few sad acoustic ballads, such as the nostalgic "Cape Canaveral" and the album closer "Milk Thistle." The latter, a perfect exercise of Bright Eyes' sorrowful folk style, touches on previous albums' motifs, such as the strains of detoxification and the memories of childhood vulnerability.
While Conor Oberst doesn't deviate much from the Bright Eyes' style, it manages to provide a more optimistic and rural atmosphere. There aren't as many highs as in other Oberst releases, but conversely, there aren't as many lows either.
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