An indie classic on cassette: "Conor Oberst"
Ah, January. Amid the dregs of winter, the skies are grey and the cold ground is covered in a patchy layer of snow. There’s no better way to embrace the gloomiest time of year than by pressing play on a cozy, comforting album. We’re here to help you do just that with our first exclusive cassette release of 2022: Conor Oberst’s eponymous 2008 release Conor Oberst.
If you’re a fan of indie and/or emo music, chances are you’re already familiar with Oberst’s vast body of work. The Nebraska native is best known for his work in Bright Eyes. He’s also played in several other bands, including Desaparecidos, The Faint, Commander Venus, Park Ave., Monsters of Folk and Better Oblivion Community Center. The prolific songwriter has also made guest appearances on tracks with Jenny Lewis, First Aid Kit, alt-J and Phoebe Bridgers.
We’re huge Conor Oberst fans here at Retrospekt, and we couldn’t be more excited to partner with Merge Records (for the third time!) on this exclusive release. Upon its debut 14 years ago, Rolling Stone said Conor Oberst was one of the best albums of the year. “The Bright Eyes frontman headed down to Mexico to record this freewheeling ramble-tamble, and he came back with melodies so indelible, they sound like they were born in the dust left behind by country legends,” said the magazine. “Tracks like ‘I Don't Want to Die (In the Hospital)’ feel like lost Hank Williams demos.”
Along with the Hank Williams comparison, Conor Oberst has another classic rock connection. The album’s cover image and album artwork were created by the revered designer Gary Burden, whose Grammy-award-winning work can be found on covers for Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, The Doors and The Eagles, among many others.
Upon Burden’s death in 2018, Oberst had this to say about the legendary artist: “As times changed in the music industry, he adapted to the new formats and technology, but the LP was always his favorite — he said because it felt the best to hold in your hand and was the easiest to roll a joint on.” (While it may be difficult to do that on a cassette tape, we also carry this album on vinyl and CD.)
The only place you’ll be able to find Conor Oberst on cassette is right here at Retrospekt. Perfect for combatting the winter blues, the album is now available exclusively on our website. You’ll also find countless other physical releases from Oberst’s plethora of other projects to complete your collection!
