Manu Chao is a fantastic musician, but what sets him apart from many other musicians is that he uses his music to promote change. Artists like Manu Chao come to the forefront in times like these when there is an aura of change in the air. Whether you support the occupy movement or not, there [...]
There is a fine line between artistic ambition and alienating one's fan base. Typically, fans rebel when a renowned artist spreads his wings too wide, experimenting with genres that he simply cannot master. Conor Oberst, the visionary behind Bright Eyes, has taken the alternate route. After releasing two disparate albums in 2005, "I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning" and "Digital Ash in a Digital Urn," both of which were critically acclaimed, Oberst seemed poised on an artistic precipice. Instead of taking the plunge, though, Oberst retreated into a shell, slowly alienating a devout fan base over the last few years with [...]

If you tried to have a wander around the site here today you probably couldn't find much more than an error page, as it seems some evil monkey temporarily pulled the plug overnight. Apologies if your musical needs were briefly unassuaged....I am assured we are back to normal service now. Sorting that out took much of the time I would have preferred to use telling you about all things good and rock, so instead [...]
![[Listen/Download] – New Song By Bright Eyes – "Shell Games"](http://cdn.elbo.ws/posts/3064834_lg.jpg)
One of the great indie rock institutions, Bright Eyes, is set to release "The People's Key", its first new album in nearly four years, via Saddle Creek on February 15, 2011. That is the incendiary cover art above. In order to whet everyone's appetite for quavering vocal lines and borderline-histrionic vocals, Bright Eyes has released "Shell Games," the first single from"The People's Key". This track can be described in three simple words: Return. To. Form. The last few releases by Conor Oberst, the mastermind behind Bright Eyes, have largely fallen victim to [...]
Decaparecidos - Read Music Speak Spanish (Saddle Creek) - Vinyl Reissue*MP3: Desaparecidos -...

After a brief wait... scratch that. After several years, Saddle Creek records have finally decided to re-release Desaparecidos' first full-length record AND the 7-inch single together on vinyl for the low low... scratch that, moderate price of $15. And who are Desaparecidos, you ask? Well they're one of Conor Oberst's post-punk projects that I personally liked more than Bright Eyes - his primary project. The other project that preceded it, Commander Venus , was very similar but Desaparecidos was that idea perfected. Why they changed their name, I don't know. Personally I like [...]
Two Gallants have not been very active since we last checked. An EP, The Scenery of Farewell, and their self-titled album were both released in 2007, and they remain the band's latest material. This is a bit odd considering Adam Haworth Stephens and Tyson Vogel, the two longtime friends that comprise the duo, churned out [...]
We're going off the deep end here with a bit of a different look at our next featured artist for our Austin City Limits Festival coverage. The band is a sort of super-group, made up of renowned musicians in the indie world, and we've borrowed some ideas from our great friends over at theManyFacesOf.com . Hopefully you enjoy this feature, and without further ado, we introduce you to The Many Faces Of Monsters of Folk . Follow the jump for more. [...]
In all honestly, I had probably written Desaparecidos off entirely, putting them away for the better part of the rest of my life. It's not that I dislike the album, in fact, quite the opposite. I probably played their own album Read Music/Speak Spanish at least once a day for the better part of two years. Recently the band made headlines reuniting to protest Arizona immigration, as well as similar policies in their home state of Nebraska. I busted the record out again, and it fits perfectly with [...]
Fresh off their much buzzed about sold out, two-night stand at MSG in New York, Montreal-based act the Arcade Fire have announced the details for their West Coast heavy fall tour. The indie-rock band , whose fourth studio album The Suburbs debuted at number one on the Billboard charts two weeks ago, will kick things off on Sept. 22 in St. Paul, MN at the Roy Wilkins Arena before heading across the border to Canada and back down the Pacific Coast for shows in Seattle, Portland, Berkley, Big Sur and a two-night run [...]

Late Sunday night/Monday morning, I posted 3 notable highlights from last weekend's Concert for Equality rally led by Conor Oberst and featuring a slew of Saddle Creek signed or related bands in Omaha. Included in that post were two performances by the recently reunited Desaparecidos and the new Bright Eyes SB 1070 protest tune, "Coyote Song." Desaparecidos weren't the only band reforming for the event, however, as Ted Stevens and the Mogis brothers also played their first Lullaby for the Working Class in about a decade. Thanks to a few studious attendees, more footage from the [...]

E io non c'ero Si sono riformati (anche se magari solo per data unica) i Desaparecidos Filed under: emo Tagged: bright eyes , conor oberst , desaparecidos

Conor Oberst has always been a busy man. If he isn't writing, recording or touring with Bright Eyes he's undoubtedly working on another project. In the last three years he has released a solo album, an album with the Mystic Valley Band and one with the super-group Monsters Of Folk. But back way before that he also recorded a post punk album under the name Desaparecidos. They released one album Read Music/Speak Spanish in 2001 as well as a few other non-album tracks here and there. They toured into 2002 and then, as their name suggested, [...]

Well, here's something to improve your mood on a dull Monday afternoon. Conor Oberst's post-punk band Desaparecidos reunited for a one-off concert over the weekend, Nebraska's Concert for Equality. In my opinion, it's Oberst's best work to date. Some footage of two tracks, 'Greater Omaha' and 'Hole In One' have surfaced on youtube. Enjoy below! Click here to view the embedded video. Click here to view the embedded video. [...]

We waited a month (not to mention 8 previous years) for a Desaparecidos reunion and it finally happened this weekend, complete with two excellent videos to prove it. As previously reported , Bright Eyes, Cursive, Lullaby for the Working Class, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, and others joined Conor Oberst's Desaparecidos in Omaha in support of the ACLU's fight against a controversial city ordinance recently passed in Fremont, Nebraska, which intends to fight illegal immigration. As Oberst and friends believe the law to be racist and unconstitutional, they gathered for the Concert for Equality [...]

Desaparecidos are playing their first show in 8 years tonight. Let's not carried away by the gigantic head that lead sings this band to utter effectiveness, but it's hard to deny that Conor Oberst doesn't give this 8-year-extinct-indie-emo-alter native-punk-pop group everything he's got inside. His vocals punches out the band's personality and passion, he catches all dynamics correctly, opening up his insides through each breath of air he exhales. Ok, I could say the sound isn't to my taste, but I could never criticise the evident belief and soul [...]

Fun fact: Not only are vinyl sales still growing while compact disc numbers continue to plummet, but — according to a What Hi-Hi report — turntables are now outselling CD players. Needless to say, it's a perfect time for CD-era musicians to dust off their old master tapes (if they're lucky enough to own them) for a reissue or two. Per a pair of recent interviews, the White Stripes and newly reunited Desaparecidos are doing just that. We've known about Jack White's ambition to reissue the entire (!) White Stripes back catalog via Third [...]

Filed under: Concerts and Tours , News , Politics as Usual For the first time in a decade, Rage Against the Machine will take the stage in Los Angeles to support the ongoing campaign against Arizona's controversial immigration bill , which is set to become a law in just two weeks. The outspoken and politically-charged band will be joined by Bright Eyes frontman Conor Oberst for the benefit gig, which is set for the Hollywood Palladium on Friday, July 23, according to the [...]
We all knew that Trent Reznor and Mariqueen Maandig were collaborating on more than just music, so it shouldn't be too surprising that two-thirds of How to Destroy Angels are expecting their first child. More like it: FROM THE NEW NEST: Trent Reznor and wife start new band and more. FROM THE NEWS NEST: Strokes recording without Casablancas and more. FROM THE NEWS NEST: New tunes from Arcade Fire and more.
For what seems like it'll only be one show, but still! They were awesome, also kind of a big deal to these guys . Pitchfork reported late yesterday that the Conor Oberst-fronted punk outfit is coming together again after nearly a decade of inactivity to play the Concert of Equality in his hometown of Omaha, a benefit whose proceeds will support the ACLU's suit against Nebraska's controversial Fremont law. Oberst is also re-assembling his long dormant Bright Eyes project for the occasion, "anti-immigrant" legislation something he's become increasingly vocal about [...]