This week's CD choice
Outer South Merge Records ****
Still best known as the man behind Bright Eyes, Conor Oberst is back in super quick time with a full band album after last year's eponymously titled solo record. On Outer Southhe has assembled a bunch of fellow travellers who are now officially known as the Mystic River Band.
The line-up certainly suits Oberst. He’s dropped a bit of the intense introspection of previous efforts, and comes across like a loose- limbed Gram Parsons as he skips through variations on alt.country/ Americana.
With Bright Eyes, Oberst had always hinted at that elusive indie-alt.county crossover sound. Here he realises it with subtle charm. Slowly, the opener, has a pleasing electric clatter along with a sweet solo troubadour feel. With Nikorette, you realise why Oberst needed a full band with him. It's catchy folk-pop with a light rock backing, over which Oberst declaims "It's a pirate world, it's a free for all, they take your bright ideas and they make them dull". You're reminded of The Band's Music from the Big Pink.
Early in his career, Oberst was weighed down with the ridiculous "new Dylan" comparison, which, to be fair, was mainly based on his tremendous ability as a lyricist . He does his best to resist tempting the comparison, though on songs such as Ten Womenhe plays around with the same sort of vocal cadences favoured by Dylan.
Occasionally he reverts back to solo mood, as on the sublime White Shoes, where his voice echoes over a soft and sparse song. Sometimes the lyrics are clumsy: "You can take your slide trombone/Play it in your catacombs", but the quiet mood of the song wins through – even if Oberst insists on bashing on his guitar at inappropriate intervals.
The variety of the album shows through on Spoiled. With its upbeat tempo and furious finger-picking on the guitar, it's a propulsive affair with nods to rockabilly and new wave at every turn.
No longer such a press darling, Conor Oberst has let the hype around him settle down while still making some magnificent music. Not everything on Outer Southworks to perfection, but there's more than enough to suggest that Oberst's talent still burns bright. www.conoroberst.com
Download tracks: Spoiled, White Shoes
