I seriously cannot get enough of Conor Oberst's lyrics. He's a fucking genius. Now I've said this before, usually during darker personal times, but whenever he shuffles up on my iPod, I have to take a moment to process it.
True, Oberst (particularly his project, Bright Eyes) is not the most melodic. But I argue that what he lacks in musicality he makes up for with the most perfect words I've ever heard. And with his increasing popularity (i.e. "Lua" now plays at Starbucks), he has refused to become a pop-psychologist or lilting singer/songwriter. Oberst is ever eager to explore new topics, but with the same detached attitude of Kurt Cobain post-Saturday Night Live debut. His most recent release, "Outer South" dips into southwest desert imagery as it swerves away from his previous lyrical hangups on babies in bathtubs. (I'm personally glad he leaves those ghosts to The Decemberists.)
The most interesting thing about "Outer South" is that Oberst steps away from the mic to let Mystic Vally Band-mates sing. Does this make the record more accessible? I'd say they do for his lyrics what Peter, Paul, & Mary did for Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind". But part of Oberst's appeal is his raw, ragged bleating. Will die-hard fans shy away from "Outer South", or will the album blend into his already prolific discography? Only the "arc of time" will tell.
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