Conor Oberst — Conor Oberst

Bright Eyes and Conor Oberst would seem nearly synonymous, but given that Bright Eyes have other members, they're not the same thing, and so Oberst has released his first solo album since 1996's The Soundtrack To My Movie. It's filled with folky indie rock and is very akin to Bright Eyes' I'm Wide Awake It's Morning. Slow numbers like "Cape Canaveral" and the gorgeous "Lenders In The Temple" are mixed with more upbeat tunes like "Sausalito" and "I Don't Want To Die (In The Hospital)" to make the disc an interesting listen. That said, the album has unfocused moments. "Moab" has a beginning that sounds bizarrely like Phantom Planet before it turns into a typical Oberst indie/alt.folk jam about being healed by the road. It and "Souled Out!!!" are separated by "Valle Mistico (Ruben's Song)," which is just several horn blasts that sound like they could have been pulled from Sigur Ros' "Ny Batteri." Despite this, Conor Oberst is an enjoyable listen at least, even if it's not one of the best things its namesake has released.

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