#reviewoftheweek / Conor Oberst - Upside Down Mountain

The Bright Eyes singer is fully involved in his solo career, and this latest album has him transforming into a full blown modern singer/songwriter with roots in indie, folk, and a bit of jam rock. Conor Oberst is not an emo indie kid any more. This new album is a masterpiece in it's own right, drawing influences from his own career of excellent tunes and bring in a bit of rootsy folk rock similar to the likes of bands such as Dawes, The Head And The Heart, and The Lumineers. The best thing about the album is the connection the listener can make to the lyrics, drawing themselves into Oberst's world with his vivid imagery and witty observations. The standouts on the album are the radio-friendly "Zigzagging Towards The Light" and "Hundreds Of Ways" which showcases an excellent horn section. Conor Oberst is all grown up on this album and is securing his place amongst this generations top singer/songwriters. It is truly one of the year's best collections of music with some of the year's best compositions as well.