Track Listing

1. Slowly (oh So Slowly)
2. To All The Lights In The Window
3. Big Black Nothing
4. Air Mattress
5. Cabbage Town
6. Ten Women
7. Difference Is Time
8. Nikorette
9. White Shoes
10. Bloodline
11. Spoiled
12. Worldwide
13. Roosevelt Room
14. Eagle On A Pole
15. I Got The Reason #2
16. Snake Hill

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7418 in Music
• Released on: 2009-05-04
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: CD
• Running time: 70 minutes

CD Description
Most famous for his work under the Bright Eyes moniker, singer-songwriter Conor Oberst releases his first album with The Mystic Village Band, 'Outer South'. Fans of Oberst's work as Bright Eyes and the acts on his label, Saddle Creek (though this release is via the respected Merge label), will findmuch to enjoy in these songs. For the first time, Oberst isnot the chief songwriter and performer here, with other band members taking over the vocal duties at certain points andcontributing songs of their own.

Customer Reviews

Slightly underwhelming
Thus far, you'd be hard pushed to find a bad album in Conor Oberst's already sizeable back-catalogue. Nothing has changed; this is not a bad album by any stretch of the imagination, but it just isn't as good as his previous efforts in his various bands (Bright Eyes, Desaparecidos etc). Even on eponymous last album there were those songs that really got the hairs up on the back of my neck because they were just brilliant songs (Cape Canaveral, Lenders in the Temple, Milk Thistle) but on 'Outer South' you're hard pushed to find any of those songs. As such, the album meanders through 16 'ok' tunes, interspersed by some decent ones. It would be easy to blame the Mystic Valley band for the album's failings as some of the band have been on song-writing and vocal duty. However, the songs written and sung soley by Oberst ain't all that much better. If you're an Oberst fan then this will tide you over and with 16 songs, there's plenty of material to get your teeth into. However, if you're newly interested in his music (perhaps on the back of the Halifax advert or whatever) then I suggest you go for one of his other records.

Great Album
This is simply great singer-songwriter/americana music. A record that is really easy and fun listening to, with very catchy tunes.

I think it's a more loose record than the one released last years. Different this time is also that the members of the Mystic Valley Band get their chance as well to shine with their own songs, taking also lead vocals in those.

I'm quite sure that anyone who likes that kind of music will have great fun with Outer South.

I wanted to but...
I love Bright Eyes and as I thought Cassadaga was over produced I was looking forward to the more stripped down sound of the Mystic Valley Band. The first album was alright, Lenders in the Temple was good but this... I've only listened to it once and I skipped some of it. I just haven't been able to bring myself to listen to it again. It's cheesey and makes me cringe and to me, Conor (who I know is a less prominent member on this album) seems to have forgotten how to create a tune. I still have faith though and look forward to the M.Ward collaboration.