soikatron

Bright Eyes frontman and indie poster child Conor Oberst is set to release his first solo album, marking the first time since 1995's Soundtrack to my Movie that Oberst has put out material on his own. Conor Oberst is due August 4 on Merge Records.

To make it a special event, Oberst eschewed the Nebraskan geography of Bright Eyes' usual recordings for someplace completely different, according to a press release: Tepoztlan, a small town in Mexico.

Known for its Aztec Magic and extra-terrestrial sightings, a makeshift studio was assembled in a mountain villa called Valle Mistico on the edge of town. Oberst, who put together a backing band of friends known as The Mystic Valley Band, produced the album. Soaking up the area's mysticism, they lived and worked in harmony, often unaware of the hour of the day. The result is a 12-track testament to their time there.

Conor Oberst track list:

"Cape Canaveral"
"Sausalito"
"Get-Well-Cards"
"Lenders in the Temple"
"Danny Callahan"
"I Don't Want to Die (in the Hospital)"
"Eagle on a Pole"
"Moab"
"NUC-Gone, Gone"
"Valle Mistico (Ruben's Song)"
"Souled Out!!!"
"Milk Thistle"
        
You can catch Oberst and his Mystic Valley Band at a summer festival near you.

Tour dates:

8.22: London, England @ Leeds Festival                        
8.24: London, England @ Reading Festival                                 
8.31: County Laois, Ireland @ Electric Picnic                                                                                                               
9.27: Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits

-Soikatron