Phoebe Bridgers and Conor Oberst revealed their new band and album, “Better Oblivion Community Center” out now via Dead Oceans. The duo performed “Dylan Thomas” on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.” Band members include guitarist Nick Zinner from Yeah Yeah Yeahs and drummer Carla Azar from Autolux.
The album, produced by Bridgers, Oberst, and Andy LeMaster, features Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ guitarist Nick Zinner (on “Dylan Thomas” and “Dominoes”), Carla Azar (drums), and Dawes’ rhythm section Wylie Gelber and Griffin Goldsmith (on the other half). Christian Lee Hutson contributes guitar and Anna Butterss provides bass.
Oberst and Bridgers kept their plans under wraps for months as they wrote and recorded in Los Angeles in the summer and fall of 2018. By the tail end of the year rumors were swirling and a mysterious phone number appeared on social media platforms. Fans of both artists began receiving enigmatic brochures in the mail and a bus stop advertising the Better Oblivion Community Center appeared in their hometown of LA. The album – released by Dead Oceans appeared, without warning, on DSPs and within the hour the band were performing – for the very first time! – on network television.
Oberst sang on “Would You Rather” from Phoebe Bridgers’ 2017 debut Stranger in the Alps but best known for his work in Bright Eyes. He also played in Desaparecidos, The Faint, Commander Venus, Park Ave., Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, Monsters of Folk before forming Better Oblivion Community Center. He was named the Best Songwriter of 2008 by Rolling Stone magazine.
In May 2017, Oberst took the stage at the Greek Theatre and dove straight into his endlessly rich catalog with “Afterthought.” Oberst with a harmonica hung round his neck, sang of waking up “still wearing that tie, the one with the skull and crossbones design.”
Oberst’s album Salutations came out in March 2017 with songs A Little Uncanny, Tachycardia, and Napalm. Previous to that he put out six other solo albums. Some of the biggest songs that got his name really out there include the songs Bright Eyes’ First Day Of My Life and Lua and with Desaparecidos the songs The Left is Right and Manana also were incredibly successful.
In August 2018, Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus joined forces to make new band named boygenius. Bridgers announced the collaborative project at NPR music’s “Turning Tables Live” Concert,” which then lead to a photo of the three women with the caption “boygenius,” hinting at the band’s name. The girl power trio shared three new songs off of their upcoming self-titled debut EP, titled “Me & My Dog,” “Stay Down,” and “Bite the Hand.”
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