Customer Reviews

Outer South (Ogv) [Vinyl]

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

There is abundant evidence on all Bright Eyes album that Conor Oberst is one of the grand songwriters of our days. Outer South contains some of his finest songs and, surprisingly, pearls sung by various Mystic Valley Band members that are virtually at par with his.

My favorite song on the album is I Got The Reason #2, a song that has been a widely acclaimed fan favorite during his recent tour to promote his eponymous last album. The studio version is very well done. It starts very slow, gains momentum, and finally features a wonderful guitar riff, that makes one wish that a guitar hero like Jack White would play a 10-minute version, a kind of I Got The Reason #3. It surely was the right decision not to put #1, sung by Jason Boesel, on the album. Including "In the pages of the Rolling Stone" in his lyrics may be Conor's way of expressing his gratitude for the best songwriter award of 2008 that the magazine bestowed on him.

Ten Women is a masterpiece as well. Conor sings about the thrill and shame of short-lived relations and "that he is biding his time like a seller of wine" while his band excels as background vocalists. In To All The Lights In The Window Conor speaks to both leaders and followers and accurately describes "that's the thing about charisma, it makes everyone believe that there is nothing impossible..."

Slowly and Spoiled are great songs whose studio version have long been awaited by the many fans who have seen him on his world tour. That Conor can master slow and heavy songs equally well is exemplified by White Shoes and Roosevelt Room.

What is truly amazing is that the songs that are not performed by Conor himself are equally well done. Nik Freitas does not only sing a brief part of Conor's Nikorette, but also Big Black Nothing and Bloodline. His voice is plainly wonderful and his lyrics funny ("It feels scary to be ordinary").

Guitarist Taylor Hollingsworth, bassist Macey Taylor, drummer Jason Boesel, and keyboarder Nathaniel Walcott impress as well, both with their instrumental and vocal performances. They enrich Conor's oeuvre with songs that sound more like the Red Hot Chili Peppers (Difference Is Time) and the Ramones (Air Mattress) than Bright Eyes.

One reason why Beatles records were never boring was that there were four voices singing lead. The Mystic Valley Band clearly proves that they deserve to play with Conor Oberst. Let us all hope that this album is just the first of many future collaborative efforts.

Wow, usually albums are completely over-rated by users on Amazon, but the opposite is true in this case. This is a great album, to me maybe Oberst's best (or at least my favorite). Apparently this album is not for huge fans of his previous work, with the consensus being that the charm of Bright Eyes is gone on this new record. Not being a big fan of Bright Eyes, I really like this record and much prefer this sound and loose album feel over his earlier records. I have a feeling that C. Oberst is enjoying not making an overly emotional, overly serious album and is really enjoying making the music on this record. I think Dylan comparisons are off, but you may consider this a "Basement Tapes"-type of album.

After deciding to digest this somewhat critically panned album for a week prior to formally judging it myself I feel that I can offer an honest review on Conor Oberst (and his recent band's most recent work).

Outer south is easy enough on the ears (save Air Mattress) but is simply an average alt-rock record that would not get any attention if not for its namesake's prior credit. I'm a big fan of Oberst, but feel the last great album he made was I'm Wide Awake Its Morning. Digital Ash being better than Cassadaga in my opionion and Cassadaga being much better than Outer South. His self titled release has a few gems but also sounds a bit distant from Oberst's most potent honesty.

To me, Oberst sounds bored but having fun. No chances being taken, very little at stake (its not a "Bright Eyes" album...which i think he's saving his better songs for), and rather tired song writing. Some of Oberst's songs do well with repeated listens: White Shoes; Ten Women; All The Lights In The Windows; I Got a Reason #2; and maybe Roosevelt Room. I actually think Nik Freitas's contributions are some of the stronger songs on the album. "Eagle on a Pole" and "Difference is Time" are listenable too (but sound oddly likely what Evan Dando would be doing with a proper recording budget). Taylor Hollingsworth's contributions just don't do anything for me. My main issue is with Oberst's contributions. I hate hearing him of all people go through the motions.

I look forward to a new Bright Eyes album with Mike Mogis. I bet Conor does too.

With his third album in as many years, and the second sans his Bright Eyes moniker, it seems clear that Conor Oberst is trying to leave his old persona behind him. The first signs of this were on 2007's Cassadaga, a Bright Eyes album in name only. Oberst's trademark angst and out of control vocals were mostly gone and in their place was a smooth, controlled set of indie-folk songs that seemed to be full of a sense of comfort and peace. Then last year, he shed his old name completely for his first proper, self titled solo album. Now he's back with a full backing band and it's clear that his old Bright Eyes identity is the farthest thing from his mind.

Not that that's a bad thing. As Oberst pushes 30, he runs the risk of not being able to pull off his old theatrics anymore, at least not in a way which anyone would take him seriously. Screaching vocals and navel gazing can be pulled off by a guy in his early to mid twenties, but after that you proably need to find a new voice and direction. So that is where we find one of indie-rock's most gifted songwriters and lyricists--wondering where to go next. Here's hoping that this album is not the answer.

Outer South is not a bad album. The band sounds great on every song and Oberst still turns out some decent melodies. But even his best efforts here (Slowly, (Oh so slowly), To All the Lights in the Windos, Ten Women) pale in comparison to some of the weaker material on his Bright Eyes albums. The lyrics aren't all that great either. Oberst has always been one of the better lyricists of his generation, but you wouldn't know it here. He also turns the reigns over to his bandmates a few too many times for mediocre results. Finally, at 70 minutes, this album is far too long.

Maybe Oberst is just kicking back and mailing it in, taking a sort of musical vacation and just having fun jamming with his new band. One can only hope that's the case. Oberst is far too talented and young to resort to lazy, uninspired rootsy folk rock of this sort. Bright Eyes doesn't have to be his present and future, but neither does this. Find your voice Mr. Oberst, indie-rock needs you.

Stripped from the teen angst theatrics and "Bright Eyes" moniker, Conor Oberst returns months after his solo debut with The Mystic Valley Band on "Outer South." This new group has a more mature sound akin to the Southern California collectives of the Seventies. Conor Oberst is definitely the leader of this troupe as The Mystic Valley band's material often sounds like filler, "Big Black Nothing" and "Air Mattress" being the main culprits. Otherwise, the album treads the same alt-country line Conor Oberst is (in) famous for.

The album opens with the catchy countrified "Slowly (Oh So Slowly)" before settling into the dusty and lyrical "To All The Lights In The Windows." The album derails with the aforementioned Mystic Valley tracks but finds it's footing with the bouncy "Nikorette." "White Shoes" offers some of Oberst's finest songwriting bolstered by the spare acoustic guitar performance.

On side two, the album seems haphazard and the band seems to be going through the motions. "Worldwide" sounds cribbed from the Tom Petty songbook and the heavy-handed vibe of "Roosevelt Room" doesn't really jive with the tone of the rest of the album. Oberst recovers with the organ fueled "I Got The Reason" but just as he does, band mate Taylor Hollingsworth wrecks things with the overly clichéd closer "Snake Hill." Maybe next time Oberst will assume a more dictatorial approach resulting in a better album.

Now, I am a very big fan of Bright Eyes, which probably has something to do with why I hate this album--Conor is capable of so much more. This album for me was a giant curve ball. There is nothing present in Outer South that makes every Bright Eyes album great-no interesting sounds,the lyrics seem like they were written in under ten minutes, and the other band members sing way too much on the album. It's not that I expect a different project to sound exactly like Bright Eyes. I just figured that some of the aspects of Bright Eyes that made it great would transfer into a different sound/different band. It appears that Conor is taking life and music less seriously, which although it may be good for him, leaves hard core fans disappointed.

This grew on me and has become an album I listen to a lot. Creative lyrics, catchy, not over done

No one blends references to the Old Testament, the New Testament and the contemporary world of substance abuse and high living quite like Oberst. This album contains some convincing rockers, "Slowly," in fact, being one of them, contrary to its name, and also "Roosevelt Room," which seethes with political indignation. Oberst is also notably seductive here with his vocals on "White Shoes" and "Nikorette" especially. "To All the Lights in the Window" is a Conor classic with his droll observation "That's the thing about charisma..." in reference to Jesus walking on water, "it makes everyone believe." Generous to a fault, Oberst has included songs by his bandmates, most notably the thoughtful "Bloodline" from Nick Freitas. Even at his most reflective, as on "Spoiled" where he's "watchin' all the hippies through the haze" or "Cabbage Town" where he admonishes someone (himself?) that blotter acid is something you can do "just not all of the time" Oberst seems a little removed from the angst of yesteryear. That's probably a good thing for him, and not such a bad thing for us either.

Conor Oberst is something short of an Indie God. And like many great artists nowadays, he can never stay in one project for long, for fear of his creativity becoming stale. The Mystic Valley Band could be his best incarnation yet, but shortly after the release of this album, the group announced their disbandment. But hey, at least we got this album out of the band, which is full of rock brilliance. Some of it's country, some of it's rock n' roll, but it's all a great listen.

Highlights Include:

Slowly (Oh So Slowly)

Ten Women

Nikorette

White Shoes

Roosevelt Room

What's most amazing about this album, and for any band in general, is that Oberst actually gives up singing and writing duties on close to half the album, preferring to sit back and just enjoy somebody else's work. This is not only the sign of a true artist, but the rest of his bandmates are also extremely talented. And probably no other track demonstrates this better than 'Air Mattress,' where the singer opines to his lover, "Can I sleep on an air mattress with you?" Simple, yet played so well.

But the bulk of the highlights and memorable moments come courtesy of Oberst himself. My personal favorites for Oberst were simply when the band was just rockin' out. These two main songs are as catchy as they are well-written, and I really have to commend the guitar work as well. But Oberst also excels at the slower stuff. Now, these songs could have easily been clichéd and sappy messes, but Oberst adds some true life to them, and makes them sound profound. I found 'White Shoes' a beautiful song, and 'Ten Women' a well-crafted ballad that's essentially Tiger Wood's theme song for the moment.

Overall, most of the songs are a solid bunch, and even the ones that don't hit their marks hit them in other ways the song may not have intended. It's a great alternative country or just a great rock record, but since Conor Oberst is involved, you know it's going to be borderline genius and it'll certainly be creative. So, RIP Mystic Valley Band. You were brilliant while you lasted.

I'm not a big fan of this style of music, so I'm surprised how much I like this album -- and surprised that it's not turning up on more "best of" lists for 2009. Why isn't this record getting more ink?