Conor Oberst in product placement shocker
I have a lot of time for Conor Oberst. I was a little late to jump on the Bright Eyes bus, and if I’m honest, I got off a stop or two early too. I haven’t particularly loved his dabbling with the more country orientated sound, but even the last album, helpfully titled Conor Oberst still had an air of quality about it. For each misstep, there would be a lovely slice of Americana. I know it’s a romantic image to us foreigners, but few records have adopted the feel of the American road trip so well as that record.
Now it’s time for round two of the “really, it’s not Bright Eyes” saga, and based on Nikorette, I fear we’re in the exact same territory again. It certainly sounds nice, if a little predictable. It’s not the sound that wins one over on an Oberst record though. It’s all about the words. Words which seem to be getting a little lazy. There’s nothing wrong with any of this, and maybe it’s unfair of me to expect more than this. If this were another band, I’d probably love it.
It doesn’t really matter though as I’ll still go through the whole album. As well as the next one. And the one after that. For even though the results may not always be perfect, eventually Oberst will write a great album. Everything he’s done so far has shown signs of it. It’s just a matter of making it all come together.
Outer South is out now on Wichita Recordings.
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