Talk about changing your mind!! Or maybe that’s the wrong way of putting it. What I wrote about Conor and Dylan was true then but six years later can’t withstand a reread but it is getting one any way. Both albums were disappointments by the way, big disappointments. But that was then…
New week, new songs,…. it’s true, so many bands release songs at the beginning of a commencing week. Today we can listen to material from three bands that had temporarily disappeared from our radar, so here are one relaxing tune and two other songs that will shake you up.
What she did was terrible, especially to Conor, she singlehandedly blew his last album to smitherines: you can’t be a sensitive songwriter and a rapist: it is one of those either or situations. But still, it is just a horrible, pathetic and sad story.
Paul didn’t play the nostalgia vibe too much, of course there were plenty of old songs, but some new ones too, and his dynamism on stage and simplicity while talking to the huge crowd was so comforting. From my seat, he looked like a tiny ant at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, but he ignited the sea of people, and the sing-alongs were heart warming
It’s simple, my car radio has been stuck to 88.5 KCSN forever and even Macca occasionally gives them a phone call to show his support when he is in town.
So why go again for “A Benefit Concert Holiday Cheer For FUV Conor Oberst And Friends” at the Beacon Theater on December 8th? I mean, over and above Conor having proven his abilities with a carol? I just have a lotta time for Conor
IIt’s a weird realization, feeling like I’ve grown out of who I’ve considered my favorite musician for years. I’ll still listen to him, I don’t skip Bright Eyes when it comes up on shuffle, but his newer work doesn’t appeal to me and some of his older stuff is unlistenable. Conor’s grown up, and I have too, and we’ve gone our separate ways.
Played with Bright eyes-y full throttle intensity, plus horns, plus back up singers, plus two girls on guitar, plus Conor emoting the holy fuck out of them, they supercharged the evening. I didn’t like the horns on “Hundreds Of Ways on the recorded version, but it worked here and the three song opening did something Conor didn’t quite do at Carnegie Hall a couple of years ago, it grew him up without changing him.
I have been disappointed in Conor Oberst for years now and the last two times I’ve seen him live I’ve not been thrilled. It is six years since I caught him at the tiny “Other Music” and longer still since his residency at the Town Hall. So Conor at Summerstage on Tuesday: why is it a pick of the week? Because it’s Conor Oberst, that’s why.
Back in 2009 we did things like what is on Jesus Ipod, imaginary concerts, and something like this, “what I am Listening To Right This Minute” posted in real time as we listened. That morphed over time to my daily 10 songs post.
Conor hasn’t had the best six months of his life, going from indie misfit has been to rapist in public opinion, his worst selling record ever, and finally purged from all misgivings back to indie misfit and losing his boyish good looks somewhere along the way
‘I definitely struggled with whether to put that one on the record. It has more sentimentality to it than any of the other songs, but I’ve seen a lot of friends go through that stuff. [Having kids] would be a cool thing to do someday. I don’t particularly feel ready for it right now, but I guess no one ever does.’
When it comes to ands like electronic duo Purity Rings I really show my age Dark Horse – Kidz Bop because they bore me to tears even though they have a gorgeous moodiness to them and if you want to hear them, the company of Danny Brown is where to do it – B+
If Mary and I couldn’t believe it, how could Moore? How could other people? How could this have happened? It is such a terrible, sad story, and that’s what hurts. I know his wife, his label, father, friends, Maria, everybody knew it was complete bullshit but how can those people who so deeply feel his music misread the situation so entirely.
This accusation led Oberst to face hate, threats, and it seriously affected the sales of his latest record, “Upside Down Mountain”. She pretty much screwed his career pretty bad all because she was feeling bummed out or something. She’s disgusting and I have absolutely nothing but disdain toward her
Leave Your Lover – Sam Smith – Smith’s absolute and final and timeless masterpiece of thwarted romantic desire, plays like a gorgeous nightmare in the back of your head while Sam’s falsetto reaches forward in desire and sadness. one of the great songs of our time
It sounds robotic, and reminds me very much of “Synecdoche, New York”, how Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s character has a voice following him around the end. I think it’s a nod to it, which is pretty cool because that means Oberst is a fan of the film.
It’s a short movie with dialogues evoking the ones on the Bright Eyes albums, but also the Spike Jonze’s film ‘Her, as a disembodied sexy female voice interviews Conor at the top of a tall Manhattan building in 2024. It sets the tone for the rest of the story
This is the worst album Conor has ever released, a deeply disappointing lie. Poor lyrics, over arranged songs, which, while his sense of melody is still intact, his sense of arrangement is sodomized and a sound so tasteful you’ll wanna puke, and a vision of the world that beggars belief.
How did Lorde discover Conor exactly? Well, that was easy:’ I knew about Bright Eyes because everyone at my school was obsessed with Bright Eyes. But I didn’t really have a supergood understanding of who you were. Then my current boyfriend introduced me to you — he’s an O.G., hard-core fan, like he had a forum in 2005 for you guys.’
Can the Hank Williams album be considered new? If it can it would knock off every single thing on this list but a sixty year old recording… Kenny is the clear winner but Conor, I am wondering if I underestimate him because well because I am a little bored of his schtick by now. Certainly, except for the bridge, “Zig Zag” is a good as it gets.
Tulane – Chuck Berry – Debatably the greatest flying car song of them all, this story of a drug buy gone South is so good both Springsteen and Lennon woulda have killed to write it – A+
It doesn’t feel like Bright Eyes, or Desa, or Monsters of Folk- it’s a legitimate Conor Oberst album. This tune has a little bit of everything for everyone, lovely harmonies and a fantastic surrealistic almost movie-soundtrack backtrack.
Ain’t Nothing Going On But The Rent – Gwen Guthrie – The Queen of the Paradise Garage’s finest moment spelled out exactly what she expected from the man in the her life with a spare funky bottom and an all rhythm disco. They sure don’t make em life this any more – A
Time Forgot – Conor Oberst – Not a bad little folkie whiner but he comes across as such a prick it’s a turn off. He wants to not shave and not have to be nice to people; from what I hear that would be business as usual – B+
Former blues boy wonder still forging a career with this home town set on a new label. The Stevie ray Vaughn “House Is A Rockin'” is superb and nothing here doesn’t work: Albert Kind, Muddy Waters, Freddie King, BB King -these are very powerful blues that aims at nothing else and hits its mark unerringly. A great set of songs – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – A
Conor Oberst shows up on Fallon to make the middle class kids cry that their lives are so tough and Debbie Harry shows up to tell us that with enough plastic surgery and a endless wardrobe budget you can rock this town well into your 60s.
Yes, I know, I haven’t been crazy about the Conor Oberst songs I’ve heard off Upside Down Mountain and I do remember giving Coldplay an almost positive review once upon a time this week, but Conor has a history (Wide Awake was my fave album of the 00s) and I really believe once you get deep inside the album it will all make sense.
This takes us half way through the summer and it isn’t all bad. A new Imelda May is always a pleasure, Conor Oberst new songs might have sucked so far but who is to say? Miniature Tigers, Sharon Van Etten, Levon Helm is the live one we’ve deserved with any luck, but I think the two biggest will be either Manic Street Preachers or Lana Del Rey. “West Coast” is such a great song and the Manics are always excellent.
‘The way I tend to work or feel creatively is normally a reaction to the last thing I’ve finished. If I do one thing for a while, my next impulse is to try and do something different.’
It’s gorgeous and heartfelt, a slow ballad that’s heartbreaking and proves that the man still knows exactly how to play a song so that it tugs at your heartstrings. His guitar skills are phenomenal, and he seems to be more charismatic in his performance than usual.
Main Theme From Trouble Man – Marvin Gaye – Blaxploitation, smaxploitation, the horn that haunts this theme to the movie of the same man, is a meeting of r&b and jazz of the first order and a game changer – A
Golden – Lady Antebellum – Golden – Moribund country song featuring Stevie Nicks who has too much life in her voice for this nasty little love song with weak rhymes and melody by numbers. Whatever happened to these guys? – C-
I don’t want to say that it sounds happy, but it isn’t your typical woe-is-me Oberst tune. It’s definitely a sign that he’s grown up, and seeing that transition is something that really touches me.
Quieter Today – Cloud Nothings – The first track on the newbie is a return to the obstreperous roar electric of the Albini moment but with an extra dollop of melody – A
Governor’s Ball? I thought it was a music festival on the east coast! But apparently it is also a new song by Conor Oberst from his upcoming album ‘Upside Down
Country Pie – The Charlie Daniels Band – Dylan has seldom written a purer country song and Daniels boogies all the way through it till we pay the fiddler during the break. A terrific version – A
If this is the best rock album of 2014 so far, that is as much an indictment of rock as a celebration of Dylan Baldi who began life as a one band bedsit guy recording with Bridgetown before growing outward with an Albani jolt. This is pure rock and roll energy and a constant mind bending loud rules head strung screamer of an album – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – A
‘Oberst is seeking to promote the truth and repair the distress this has brought upon him and his family. Oberst intends to donate the proceeds of this suit to charities benefitting the victims of violence against women.’
Oberst says he never met her AND that she had written positive things online about Conor and Bright Eyes as recently as January 2013. He’s supposedly suing for over $1 million and claims his reputation has been damaged by her accusations.
I Got The Reason – Conor Oberst And The Mystic Valley Band – A botched arrangement stops this from being one of his biggest triumphs; he knew what he had in the pounding Richard Manuel inspired piano and went too far. Still a masterpiece, of course – A
Conor Oberst is becoming the Elvis Costello of indie Kings. After years and years of ruling the earth, of being such an obsessive songwriter his girlfriend at the time, Maria Taylor, wouldn’t let him drive when they went out, he became… I don’t know what he is? A dick
It’s so positive, and his classic, iconic wavery voice is incredibly prominent and I love it. “There are hundreds of ways to get through the day, there are hundreds of ways, so just find one.” He’s releasing a solo record on May 20th, and it’s going to follow this more country-tinged direction.
Are we ever able to objectively judge the artists we like and love? I guess not, being bias is part of the game of being a fan, that’s why anyone famous can easily get away with murder.
hy teenage girls, why not middle aged men? Why pinpoint your dislike at the heart of the very people who love you most. His writing is getting worse, the last two times I saw him live he wasn’t very good, and he has a nasty fucking attitude. Conor wants to be alone and if he continues like this he will certainly get his wish.
” ‘I don’t know if it makes me an asshole to not want to talk to my fans. But I’m not going to sit on a fucking computer and try to talk to some fucking 16-year-old in wherever-the-fuck. I try to remind myself to be grateful. I’m not a fucking superstar.”
I am not the author but as I said in a previous comment, I was raped by a “rock star” when I was 16 years old and he was in his 20s. My husband suggests I may feel some empowerment by outing my rapist. It was Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes (and several other bands/side projects he fronts, bright eyes being the most popular). I hope you are right about helping the next girl but I’m waiting for the backlash.
What Bright Eyes understands absolute these timeless songs is that they bring with them their own memories and 12 years after they are recorded, they bring with them the memories of memories; like the memories of childhood and lost loves.
The victims of, and the remains of the victims of, 9-11-01 did not lend themselves to what amounts to a form of anthropomorphism: essentially, changing their character to make them what Springsteen needed them to be in order to fit into his true blue collar tableau
“It was kind of difficult also to write because in the past I would always write when I was sad, it was just therapy for me. Sometimes I would even put myself in a position to get hurt so that I could write…”
