Conor Oberst (studio album) by Conor Oberst

From paladisiac 12/09/2011 18:37

It's a sort of more personal take on the stuff he did under the bright eyes moniker, but really sounds like an extension of bright eyes. The distinction is faint. There's still a faint country tinge. There's still some fun word play. Mostly liked for his upbeat and wild songs, he pulls off some nice ballads on here, including opener "cape canavaral" ("You've been a daughter to me, your buried shoe box grief / I felt your poltergeist love like Savannah heat / While the waterfall was pouring crazy symbols of my destiny") and "danny callahan". "danny callahan" is a sad tale of a boy who dies of bone (marrow) cancer, ending "But the love we feel he carries inside can be passed / He lay still, his mother kissed him goodbye said, comeback / Where are you going to alone?" "sausalito" is a rocker and "i don't wanna die (in the hospital)" is a frenetic, farcical romp, complete with country-bar-room piano and backing vocals. i wish brief "NYC-Gone,Gone" was more fleshed out -- "gone, gone from new york city, where are you gonna go with a heart that empty?" he sings in an upbeat, knee-slapping song before the electric guitar kicks in. "souled out!!!" is a fun walk through streets in mexico (as a few other songs are on the album) where you discover the play on words at the chorus -- "you won't be getting in / all sold out in heaven". Elsewhere, i like the chorus of "eagle on a pole" mucho and "milk thistle" is a nice and soft, if a bit long, pensive number to close it all up.