Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.With opening lines demanding "Dementia, you better treat me good/The human race is going through a second childhood," it initially seems as if Conor Oberst's latest album might involve a continuation of the infirmity themes which dominated his solo debut last year.
It soon transpires that he has a more general apocalyptic mood, however, Outer South featuring songs about such matters as the manipulation of paranoid delusions, the climate of selfishness, deceit and betrayal, the ruthlessness of capitalism, and, in the terrific, rollicking rant-rocker "Roosevelt Room", the bitterness of soured idealism: "Go ask Hunter Thompson, go ask Hemingway's ghost/It all catches up with you once you get just a little too old".The album is littered with pithy observations, from the cynical musing upon religious myth, "That's the thing about charisma – it makes everybody believe", to the poignant admission that "I don't wanna dream if it don't come true". Musically, the Mystic Valley Band occupies much the same folk-rock territory as Oberst's old band Bright Eyes, punctuated with the occasional taut blues shuffle.
Download this: "Roosevelt Room", "Nikorette", "Slowly (Oh So Slowly)", "To All The Lights In The Windows", "Big Black Nothing"
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments