Review: Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band - Outer South (* * *)

Preface - This review, like some to follow, will be posted in full at In Review Online, so click on the link at the end of the paragraph to read the entire article. Thanks!

Conor Oberst, known to many by his moniker Bright Eyes, seems to have ditched his solo gig, as well as the majority of his emo-leaning songwriting, and now performs with a full-on rock group, Conor Oberst & the Mystic Valley Band. Whether it was therapy, an early mid-life crisis, or simply the need to have some fun that brought about this change in his career doesn't really matter; the new direction Oberst has taken suits him far better than many of us would have expected. Shedding the Bright Eyes brand for last year’s album (simply titled Conor Oberst), the artist took a step away from his established, moody sound and toward something much more free-spirited and fun, a sort of breezy alt-country style full of jangly guitars and clamoring piano. (Continue Reading...)