Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band - Outer South
5 May 2009
Review by Rachel Coppenhaver
Merge Records

Conor Oberst released his first record that lists the Mystic Valley Band alongside his name last week. Also new to this album is the fact that songs by the band members are included. Outer South follows last years self-titled album and several previous ones under the band name Bright Eyes.

If Oberst is sick of the Bob Dylan comparisons, the sound of this album is not going to help them go away. The songs were written while the band was on tour in Mexico for the last album and recorded in December at Sonic Ranch Studios. While most of the songs possess an adventurous, care-free ease, Dylan it is not.

The album opens with “Slowly (Oh So Slowly)” which is an enjoyable tune that certainly sounds like Oberst is loving life, a far cry from much of the songs that Bright Eyes’ fans are accustomed to. Of the band’s contributions, “Big Black Nothing” by guitarist Nik Frietas is the most notable, with his other song “Bloodline” another good track. On the opposite end, but positioned directly after “Nothing” is fellow guitarist Taylor Hollingsworth’s “Air Mattress”, a trivial jingle that stands starkly out of place among the rest of the album.

Of the songs by Oberst himself, “Spoiled” and “Roosevelt Room” are definite winners. With lyrics that include phrases like “watching all the hippies through the haze” and “tear-gas riot song”, Oberst still seems to be reaching for that Dylan status, but the songs do have very strong vocals and some amazing guitar. The album closes with Hollingsworth’s “Snake Hill”, and while an improvement from his earlier song on the album, the album would have benefitted from letting the previous song “I Got a Reason #2” end the album.

Overall, Outer South is an enjoyable listen, but could have been great with a little more time tweaking and re-thinking additions. If Oberst wants to have a career as successful and long-lived as Dylan, he still has a long way to go.