bexie

So I got the new Conor Oberst & the Mystic Valley Band album last week. I've read a couple negative reviews about it but frankly I think it's a fantastic romp in the alt-country (if you will). A lot of Bright Eyes fans don't like how upbeat the MVB's albums are, and how they're fairly stripped down compared to some of the synth-heavy BE albums. But I think it's great to experience an artist's musical growth; it's unfair to expect an artist to make the same music for 15 years without creating something that reflects their growth as an individual (I'm thinking Bob Dylan going electric here).

Truthfully, two of my favourite songs on the album are actually not Oberst's; Nik Freitas' "Big Black Nothing" has been stuck in my head for three days straight and there is something creepily endearing about Jason Boesel's version of "Eagle on a Pole". There are some great Oberst ballads, of course. "White Shoes" in particular is tremulous and beautiful, while "Roosevelt Room" is small-venue punk rock, although the anti-taxpaying anti-consumerism lyrics are rather frustrating coming from an artist who is undoubtedly in an enviable financial position. But whatever, the album is really good, obviously good enough for me to write about it here. I'm trying to get together the money to go down to New York for their 4th of July show with Jenny Lewis. If I can make it, it'll probably be the highlight of my summer.

I leave you with a recent picture of me. I cut my bangs again and they're awful. Just awful.

Ta!