Released around the same time as his split album Oh Holy Fools, Conor
Oberst's new "motionSickness" 7" offers two new songs done with
little orchestration. Both songs are made almost entirely from one
guitar and Oberst's standard lyrical style. That can be enough for
a good single, but these songs lack any punch lyrically that would make
it worthwhile.
The A-side, "motionSickness," sounds like a letter home from Oberst
while he is on tour. The song was recorded in Wilmington, NC, and
deals with Oberst's worries that since he cannot stay in one place for
too long, he is not able to have any true, honest romantic relationships.
When he does meet someone, the fact that he will eventually be gone
on tour for long stretches of time stops him from allowing himself to
make a true connection. Instead, "it was just some lie that they
slept beside." This song's concept has potential, but its delivery ruins
the song. Oberst's voice lacks any power, and his words really do seem
like a letter home, not an intense conversation in person or over
the phone. There is little depth or gory detail to his self-analysis.
The B-side, "Soon You Will Be Leaving Your Man," is an atypical Oberst
song since its only purpose seems to be to portray Oberst as a big
pimpin' ladies' man. The content of the song is obvious from the title;
that sentence alone is enough proof that this is a very poor Bright
Eyes song.
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