When Conor premiered this one on Conan last year, we figured it was called “Nicorette” because we spell things correctly and probably don’t have an IP lawyer as good as Merge’s. Now it’s dubbed “Nikorette” (tricksy) and is the second listen from Outer South, the forthcoming followup to CO’s fine self-titled LP. The album comes with identical personnel (Taylor Hollingsworth, Nik Freitas, Macey Taylor, Nathaniel Walcott and Jason Boesel), although this time the Mystic Valley Band gets full billing. Which is telling: between “Slowly (Oh So Slowly)“‘s organic rollick and on “Nikorette”‘s rootsy hot licks, the pensive prodigy’s never sounded so at ease with a group of musicians. It could be the band, or it could just be evolution. On Conor Oberst, we noted CO found “a balance between growing up/staying young.” Now even while texting buddies about bad dreams, observing the world’s fucked up dream-poaching ways, and staving off cigarette cravings on airplanes, Conor’s sounding like he’s seeing a little less fever in the mirror. Maybe he’s grown into his skin. Then again, we still have 14 tracks to hear.
Here’s what it sounded like on Conan back in ’08:
You don’t need to take the music as evidence that Conor loves his Mystic Valley Band. Take this trailer to the new 60-minute documentary chronicling their story:
Outer South is out 5/5 via Merge. Stream it for a limited time right here. (Thx, all.) Here’s the album art, and also there’s that “Four Winds” cover by the Killers that you Conor fans probably won’t want to hear. Some tour dates:
04/09 – Omaha, NE @ Slowdown
04/10 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
04/11 – Aspen, CO @ Belly Up
04/12 – El Paso, TX @ Barnett Harley Davidson (Hands of Love & Hope Benefit)
04/13 – Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theatre
04/14 – Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
04/15 – Pomona, CA @ Glass House
04/17 – Indio, CA (Coachella)
06/18 – Telluride, CO @ Telluride Bluegrass Festival
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If Conor was in a songwriting class he’d get an “A” but … that doesn’t really mean anything does it? Good looking kid…
what the fuck are you talking about?
I like this a lot. Usually Conor’s music gives me diarrhea in my ears. This song should be called “Audio Pepto-Bismol”.
I’m often perplexed as to why Conor doesn’t get more love on here and elsewhere. His lyrics alone are on such a high level. Name another lyricist that even comes close to Conor’s brilliance on a lyrical level. On the musical side, I think he’s just further walking down a path that many American musicians have walked, in a sense that he has a full understanding of the history of American songwriting.
And all that being said, I still think his music sounds a feels current and fresh.
Are people still punishing him for being popular with the teen angst crowd more than 5 years ago? Do people really let things like this, get in the way of enjoying great music?
i agree with you, steve. conor oberst, just like every other indie band that gets popular has become cool to hate on. as far as songwriting goes, he’s got it down and (for the most part) progressively gets better. the one thing i do find easy to hate about conor oberst is his new found rock star persona and before that it was his shy-kid-one-word-answers persona. he doesn’t really seem like the kind of guy that i would want to hang with, but that certainly doesn’t take away from the amount of good music he has made. new bob dylan? who cares. i dig this track.
This song is terrible, and I am embarrassed for Conor Oberst. I’m amazed that he is releasing this song. As for a lyricist that even comes close to Conor? Sam Beam does a much better job nowadays. Conor used to have it, not even that long ago, but he lost it this year.
“popular with the teen angst crowd more than 5 years ago”
uhm, no, he was actually (still) GOOD 5 years ago. He lost it around the time people started calling him the ‘new Bob Dylan’.
I preferred him when he was still ‘the old Conor Oberst’.
This song is great. Loved it on Conan and it sounds just as good recorded. Cant wait to hear the album!
Full record now streaming on the merge website
Good Stuff. It usually takes a while for new songs to grow on me. — I ain’t dissin!
I think Conor is a pretty good lyricist, but he’s become stagnant lately. I was hoping that switching it up with the Mystic Valley Band would get him out of his funk, but I didn’t think it did.
streaming this now…SO GOOOD
pandasnare.blogspot.com
Conor is a songwriter I’ve kept up with who rings true. Same here. From the heart. All we can ask.
wanna know what i think, no?
well thats how i feel about all these hateful comments…
good song, nuff said
The verse is an exact copy of some other song that I can’t recall the name of. I think it is by George George Thorogood or Neil Young or somebody like that.