The tale of the new Conor Oberst is a great example of how upside-down the music industry is right now. Maybe the issues are a good thing…or just another of example of its descent into self-destruction. This B-side/alternative track collection came out in May. I just discovered its release this weekend. I discovered it at (of all things) a record store. I saw the vinyl…thinking it was a vinyl only release. I did some quick searching and found a CD copy, too. I was so excited to know this had come out, I didn’t give it too much thought why I hadn’t heard about this until now. When I got home, I figured it out quickly. The album hadn’t been released digitally. It was a physical release only. And unless it’s Record Store Day, in this day of digital music, physical releases are about as important as a new model of rotary dial phone. Probably less important…
I’m mixed about this. It’s a sad state that an artist as important and respected as Conor Oberst can put out a new record (albeit b-sides) but it goes completely unnoticed because it didn’t come out digitally. To the music industry not coming out digitally is practically the same as not existing at all. At the same time, it’s kinda cool. It’s been years since I’ve discovered a new release by one of my favorites artists by sifting through CD racks instead of seeing the torrent thread. It made the purchase exciting. It made it more relevant. And it made the music more interesting. Sometimes it’s the hunt for the music…the hurdles you have to go to get it…that’s as important as the music itself.
Here are the 11 Best Songs By Conor Oberst:
- I Got The Reason (Outer South)
- Spoiled (Outer South)
- Lenders in The Temple (Conor Oberst)
- Moab (Conor Oberst)
- Danny Callahan (Conor Oberst)
- To All the Lights In The Window (Outer South)
- White Shoes (Outer South)
- Sausalito (Conor Oberst)
- Roosevelt Room (Outer South)
- Gentlemen’s Pact (Gentlemen’s Pact EP)
- Cape Canaveral (Conor Oberst)
Buy Conor Oberst B-Side Collection, One Of My Kind…now!!!