So this is something that has been mulling around in my head for quite some time. I heard rumors last year of Oberst seperating ties with the Saddle-Creek label, his band (Bright Eyes), and embarking on the strange and uncomfortable world of solo touring. Of course these rumors have been around for years (what is Bright Eyes anyway, besides a front for Conor's creative expression?) But it troubled me when I was told this by a friend of mine who actually knows Conor.
Well, I decided shortly after hearing this (I think it was October, possibly September, of last year) that I would just have to wait and find out what was going to happen...more
Well, there's some truth to the report, and some inaccuracies. First, yes, Conor will be releasing his debut solo effort (Conor Oberst) on August 5th. Second, yes he will be releasing it outside of the Saddle-Creek label. However, fear not Bright Eyes fans. Conor has already come out and said that he is not breaking from Bright Eyes. Their rough and long touring schedule (pretty much constantly for the past 8 years, with small intermittant breaks to record albums) has worn on the band, and so they were given some time off to spend with family, while Conor headed to Mexico to do even more soul searching.
While in Mexico Conor teamed up with guitarist Taylor Hollingsworth and bassist Macey Taylor (coining the pair the "Mystic Valley Band") for a project that turned into a full length album. The album will be released, as I said earlier, on August 5th, out of the Merge Records label.
Aside from TC and I, I'm note sure who will really be interested to see what direction Oberst takes this solo effort, but I figured I'd give everyone in SCOPE land a heads up on what was really going on with Bright Eyes and Conor Oberst.
Two songs are available via Oberst's website, and from the preview, it's a folk-country-blues sound similar to I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning, yet less depressing.
2 comments:
I personally think everything so far sounds like a b-side to cassadaga. Not completely bad because cassadage was solid but I'm hoping he takes some risks on the rest of the album.
also what is the deal with the album art?
i can understand where you're coming from on the cassadaga thing, moreso on "sold out" than "danny", but i think it could be considered more of a "cassadaga lite", less instrumentation, more rock vocals. The reason that i call it similar to I'm wide awake is the sound of the songs-take the acoustic and move it to the rhythm guitar, then add a blues electric as the lead, and the songs sound very similar.
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