Conor Oberst - Upside Down Mountain (Album Review)
Wednesday, 21 May 2014
Written by Matt Williams
“Moved to a town that time forgot, where I don’t have to shave or be approachable. No, I can do just what I want,” Conor Oberst sings in the opening lines of Time Forgot, a song that gently introduces a man growing older both in a literal and creative sense.
‘Upside Down Mountain’ is the latest entry in a career that defines prolific, one that has seen almost every one of its twists and turns, each blemish or triumph, pored over and deconstructed.
Oberst has been putting out records, in various guises, for the last 20 years and has grown up with his fans, as they have with his music. Here he’s considered and comfortable, the often laid-back arrangements casting him as someone in a rare moment of ease and a few years removed from some of the more heart-rending moments that characterised his early work. This is both a blessing and a curse.
Much as Dawes, who will back him on his forthcoming live dates, did on ‘Stories Don’t End’, Oberst has opened up to the classic traditions of west coast pop and rock.
His partner in crime is producer Jonathan Wilson, who has added great warmth to the compositions, displaying a deft touch and knowledge of his source material while picking out some of the thorns that made Bright Eyes so compelling.
At its best, ‘Upside Down Mountain’ finds Oberst inhabiting this new landscape entirely. Zigzagging Toward The Light, Artifact #1 and the opening song are all beautifully put, his lyrics acting as frayed edges to a perfect picture. He follows the gentle intro to Time Forgot with an ominous admission: “I want to walk in the howling wind, till it scatters all my thoughts. Sit alone on that river bank, until I forget that I can talk.” Similarly, Artifact #1 deals in hard truths: “You can’t compete with memories, they never have to change.”
There are occasions, though, when things take a turn for the lightweight. Hundreds Of Ways is brash and a little unfocused, while the liquid guitars of Lonely At The Top and Double Life are from the softest of soft rock playbooks. That they bookend the endearing Enola Gay make them all the more incongruous.
The record’s many highs make such transgressions easy to forgive, though. Oberst may have set aside his fire for the time being, but his skill as a songwriter remains, along with his near iconic voice. ‘Upside Down Mountain’ is a worthwhile distraction, and a footnote to a fine tradition.
Conor Oberst Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Tue July 08 2014 - MANCHESTER Cathedral
Wed July 09 2014 - LONDON KOKO
Fri July 18 2014 - LONDON KOKO
Mon July 21 2014 - GLASGOW O2 ABC Glasgow
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