The “prodigy” rock/country/folk sing/songwriter does what he knows best. This is my first exposure to Conor Oberst’s music. I know, y’all want to know if the hype is justified. The bottom line: a solid effort, if you can stand the trembling vox, with one masterpiece track. The lyrics are usually good; the production is high quality (many guests and different musicians on each track, but over all the sound is consistent). Is he the new Dylan? Certainly not, though Dylan is referenced and channeled in many ways from the track titles to lyrics to delivery to having Emmylou’s backing vox.

[Note: released together with Digital Ash in a Digital Urn, a more experimental electro-pop album, keyed separately].

Start with 8, 4, (FCC) 6, 2, 5, 10 (FCC). FCC: 4, 7, 10.
1. Long spoken exposition and then upbeat country/folk tune, heavy fast strum.
2. * Mellow, Emmylou Harris contributes vox on the chorus duet, trumpet, beautiful. If you're travelin' in the north country fair…*
3. Steel intro, mellow, keyboards, avoid this track if the trembling vox bother you (appear in the louder chorus), trumpet.
4. ** FCC (“Shit”). Quiet, vox with minimal strummed guitar, bright lyrics. “But what was normal in the evening, by the morning seems insane.” **
5. * Starting mellow, this gets into a country twang half way through, classic chorus, mellow verse, great. *
6. ** Light pick/strum, interesting love song. **
7. FCC (“Shit”) Raucous one-take-Highway-61-revisited sound, rolls like a train, loud.
8. *** This is the highlight of the album. Achingly beautiful mellow tune, and lyrics that make you listen, and think, and listen again. That’s what this is all about, right? Emmylou harmonizes, minimal otherwise. ***
9. Muted strum, strained low vox, pedal steel, bursts into loudness in chorus.
10. * FCC (“Fuck”) Urgent drumbeat, Beethoven 9th(!), war, interesting stuff, wild noisy finish. *