Conor Oberst

The Quick and Easy:

What: A Dylan-esque foray into Christianity
Artist: Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band
Album: Conor Oberst
Sound: Biblical-tinged folk-rock
Label: Merge Records

Almost without fail, Conor Oberst has been in every indie band from Nebraska since 1983, when he was three years old. Currently, he’s touring with the Mystic Valley Band, a departure hardly disparate enough from his Bright Eyes to be called a solo project, but nevertheless, a nuanced approach to his usual—though always exemplary—brand of folk-rock. Like Will Oldham, Oberst seems to constantly feel the need for a change in moniker while producing similarly crafted and consistently brilliant albums.

Conor Oberst’s natural musicianship and penchant for imperfect, rushed recordings paired with his prolific output have drawn several comparisons to Bob Dylan. Like Dylan in the sixties, Oberst seems to be in a stream of rampant artistic creation, without the time or patience to tinker with complicated production or overdubs. On “Souled Out!!!” a faint voice asks, “Is it the chorus or another verse now?”

“Another verse!” responds Oberst, leading one to believe the album version is quite possibly the first take. The song, while rushed, seems to be about the acceptance of damnation, or the repudiation of any sort of heaven. “Magic carpet is the transportation,” Oberst sings, “went to the moon in a soda can/not all my boys believe in science/stretching truth in the Promised land.” The title itself—the idea that heaven could be “Souled out” or filled up will too many good souls—is in obvious jest.

The album hits several other biblical notes. The lyrics of “Lenders in the Temple” read like a cryptic goodbye to lost love. The final verse begins, “Something so wild turned into paper,” then, “If you loved me, then that’s your fault.” He appears to be pairing his relationship with the paper of the money lenders of Matthew 21:12. He, as the Christ figure, storms into the temple drive out the corrupt lenders. The pairing is eerie and, especially when heard live, utterly captivating.

Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band will play’s the Showbow Oct. 26th with Jenny Lewis. The self-titled album is available on Merge Records. After touring, Oberst has plans to return to the studio and work on a new Bright Eyes release.