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Wed 1 Mar, 2006 06:59 pm
Background info:
Conor Oberst is an American singer-songwriter born February 15, 1980 in Omaha, Nebraska. He began his recording career in 1993 at the age of 13 and has since produced an enormous amount of material; Rolling Stone has referred to him as "rock's boy genius." His current project is Bright Eyes, and he also serves as the frontman to Desaparecidos (a punk-oriented side project), his only non-Bright Eyes project still in print.
At fourteen years of age, Oberst was singer and guitarist of Commander Venus, an indie rock band, in 1994. The former members of Commander Venus, Tim Kasher of Cursive, Robb Nansel (who now runs Saddle Creek) and Todd Baechle of The Faint, would later go on to feature in many Saddle Creek recording groups. Conor was also a member of the band Park Ave.
Oberst is one of the founding members of the independent record label Saddle Creek Records, which hosts and has hosted bands including Cursive, Desaparecidos, The Faint, Rilo Kiley (who left to start their own label Brute/Beaute Records), Bright Eyes, Son Ambulance, Azure Ray, The Good Life, Sorry About Dresden, among others.
His broadcast television performances include a spot on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in March 2005, which sparked controversy with his performance of the incendiary "When the President Talks to God", The Late Show with David Letterman, on which he performed "The Trees Get Wheeled Away", and his guitar-smashing performance of "Road to Joy" on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.
So, have you heard any of his stuff? If so, what did you think of it? I, personally, like the guy's music very much. He really has a gift, if you're willing to listen long enough to hear it. I have a few Bright Eyes albums. All are solid the best, I'd say, is I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning and the weakest Digital Ash in a Digital Urn. The strange thing is, he released both of those albums simulateously. Also, his band The Desaparecidos is pretty darn good, though they've only released one album.
Anyway, if you haven't heard him, listen to a few of his songs and check it out. If so, tell me what you think.
I have seen him a couple times, and I have heard most of his albums. He is good, but after a while, that whiny little bitch music gets annoying. I enjoyed him live though. It was also a bonus that almost every kid there had their own version of the Connor Oberst angst-ridden perfectly messed-up hairdo that he sports. F*ckin' sheep. I enjoyed making fun of them.
The song "Lover I don't have to love" is one of my favorite songs ever, by the way, but he didn't do that one either time I saw him, dammit.
He's good though.
i quite like bright eyes, my two fave albums would be, letting off the happiness and fevers and mirrors
but for a single song i go to lifted and the song waste of paint
Big Sorry About Dresden fan here, but I gotta agree with kicky on the whiny aspect of Bright Eyes.
I don't do whiny.
i discovered bright eyes through sorry about dresden, i'm one of those guys, i hear a band from an indie label, then i start checking out other bands from said label, that's how i discovered rilo kiley as well
the king of teen angst... like alanis morrisette except that alanis is more masculine.... can't sing although he's a good songwriter... my daughter loves him... I liked when the president talks to God....
Sorry About Dresden rocks! But, sorry to say, I discovered them through Bright Eyes, instead of the other way around. I also learned of Saddle Creek Records and that Omaha has a frickin kickass indie rock scene! Who knew?
Kicky, I agree his voice gets reeeealy annoying sometimes, but that's why I have a big variety on my iPod. If you don't like the whiny, but you like the lyrics and the music, check out his other band The Desaparecidos. No whining at all, in fact, it's more of a post-punk emo kind of sound.
Djjd, Waste of Paint is one of my favorites! (That, and The Old Soul Song) I too, learned about a few other good indie bands through Saddle Creek Records (in Omaha! WTF?). Another good label to check out is Elephant 6. They've got the closest thing to an all-star lineup you can have in the indie rock department.
know elephant 6 well, are you familiar with the label secretly canadian, some good stuff there
Not very, though I've heard a little I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness. I'll check it out. Thanks.
i gave my friend a Bright Eyes mix and he turned emo on me. haven't talked to him since.
I, like others here, own a couple of bright eyes albums and really like some of it (Waste of Paint, Lua) but want to kill myself if I listen to him for to long. After awhile his voice makes my ears bleed and his overall depressive nature is just to much to handle. I have foubnd that if you play some Black Flag after listening to him it tends to balance out quite nicely.
Hehehe...nice. Sounds like a winning combination jp.
I've heard none, but I find it intriguing that A2K has a member called "coberst" who hangs out a lot in philosophy.
Took daughter and a friend to Bright Eyes concert last year. Got to hear most of it from the lobby. Not bad, but like others, the depression sets in.
I much prefer when she's blasting
James Blunt's"You're Beautiful."
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