Bright Eyes is a pretty fluid project, but main-man Connor Oberst chose to step away from the band and his Saddle Creek label to release this great solo album on Merge. It's a bit brighter, ahem, than his other projects, but his thoughtful, lyrical prowess is still there in spades. Many of the tracks contain Oberst's signature warbled-voice and macabre themes, but it's also nice to hear a more upbeat side of him on some of the tunes.

Recorded in Tepotzlan, Morelos in Mexico with the Mystic Valley Band, Conor Oberst's self-titled "solo" album was heavily influenced by these surroundings with its hints of magic realism. And the King of Similes' vivid writing style completely surrenders itself to this genre -- there's classical guitar, a "voice" of a native Aztec (I'm guessing here) and lyrics about totem poles and native Indian gods. And who would have thought he was the next Bob Dylan? This is nowhere more evident than on "Get-Well-Cards." There are also hints of Wilco and Tom Petty, but that's to be expected from someone with a folk and alt-country repertoire of twelve previous albums as Bright Eyes and various other bands (and he's only 28!). The better tracks contain Oberst's warbled-voice and macabre themes, like "Lenders in the Temple," but it's nice to hear a more upbeat side of him on some of the faster songs. "I Don't Want to Die (in the Hospital)" is a rollicking tune about a good ol' boy who wants to die with his boots on his feet and his feet on the dusty ground. "Moab" could be the soundtrack to the movie On the Road, whenever that finally gets made (lyrics: "There's nothing that the road cannot heal"). But buried in the seemingly carefree "Souled Out!!!" is a chorus about not getting into heaven. As we learn on the last tune, "Milk Thistle," I don't think Oberst is all that concerned where he ends up: "If I go to heaven/I'll be bored as hell/like a crying baby/at the bottom of the well." [TL] (August 6, 2008)