Outer South is the fifth solo studio album

Studio album

A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...

 by American musician Conor Oberst

Conor Oberst

Conor Mullen Oberst is an American singer-songwriter best known for his work in Bright Eyes. He has also played in several other bands, including Desaparecidos, Norman Bailer , Commander Venus, Park Ave., Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, and Monsters of Folk.-Musical career:Oberst began...

 and the second to be credited to Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band

Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band

Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band is the name taken by Conor Oberst and his backing band, which is composed of Nik Freitas , Taylor Hollingsworth , Macey Taylor , Nate Walcott and Jason Boesel .-History:...

. It is Oberst's first solo album to include songs written and sung by his bandmates. Nik Freitas

Nik Freitas

Nik Freitas is a singer-songwriter from Visalia, California and currently residing in Los Angeles. Freitas began his career as a staff photographer for Thrasher Magazine where he traveled the world taking skate photos until turning his attention to music full-time in 2001...

, Taylor Hollingsworth

Taylor Hollingsworth

Taylor "Paper" Hollingsworth ia a singer/songwriter and guitarist from Birmingham, Alabama. He first picked up the guitar at age 14 and has gone on to front his own bands as well as play guitar for others, notably Maria Taylor....

 and Jason Boesel

Jason Boesel

Jason Boesel was the drummer for Rilo Kiley and has also played with The Elected. He also drummed in the Bright Eyes touring band during their 2005 tour, and went on to write the liner notes for the consequent Bright Eyes live album, Motion Sickness and contributing to Bright Eyes' 2007 record,...

 each contributed two songs apiece, and bassist Macey Taylor sings a song written for him by Oberst. The album was released through Merge Records

Merge Records

Merge Records is an independent record label based in Durham, North Carolina. It was founded in 1989 by Laura Ballance and Mac McCaughan. It began as a way to release music from their band Superchunk and music created by friends, and has expanded to include artists from around the world and records...

 on May 5, 2009.

The entire album was made available on April 7, 2009, to stream on the Merge Records website for a limited time.

Tracklisting

All songs written by Conor Oberst

Conor Oberst

Conor Mullen Oberst is an American singer-songwriter best known for his work in Bright Eyes. He has also played in several other bands, including Desaparecidos, Norman Bailer , Commander Venus, Park Ave., Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, and Monsters of Folk.-Musical career:Oberst began...

, except where noted.

1. "Slowly (Oh So Slowly)" (Oberst, Nate Walcott
   Nate Walcott
   Nate Walcott is a trumpet, flugelhorn and keyboard player who has appeared on several of Saddle Creek Records artists' albums. He is one of three permanent members of Bright Eyes, along with Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis, and has toured with Bright Eyes....
   
   ) – 3:34
2. "To All the Lights in the Windows" – 5:42
3. "Big Black Nothing" (Nik Freitas
   Nik Freitas
   Nik Freitas is a singer-songwriter from Visalia, California and currently residing in Los Angeles. Freitas began his career as a staff photographer for Thrasher Magazine where he traveled the world taking skate photos until turning his attention to music full-time in 2001...
   
   ) – 3:39
4. "Air Mattress" (Taylor Hollingsworth
   Taylor Hollingsworth
   Taylor "Paper" Hollingsworth ia a singer/songwriter and guitarist from Birmingham, Alabama. He first picked up the guitar at age 14 and has gone on to front his own bands as well as play guitar for others, notably Maria Taylor....
   
   ) – 2:14
5. "Cabbage Town" – 3:50
6. "Ten Women" – 3:22
7. "Difference Is Time" (Jason Boesel
   Jason Boesel
   Jason Boesel was the drummer for Rilo Kiley and has also played with The Elected. He also drummed in the Bright Eyes touring band during their 2005 tour, and went on to write the liner notes for the consequent Bright Eyes live album, Motion Sickness and contributing to Bright Eyes' 2007 record,...
   
   ) – 5:36
8. "Nikorette" (Oberst, Freitas) – 4:11
9. "White Shoes" – 5:50
10. "Bloodline" (Freitas) – 4:08
11. "Spoiled" – 3:16
12. "Worldwide" (sung by Macey Taylor) – 3:31
13. "Roosevelt Room" – 5:02
14. "Eagle on a Pole" (Boesel) – 4:38
15. "I Got the Reason #2" – 7:15
16. "Snake Hill" (Hollingsworth) – 4:15

Track information

• The twelfth track, "Worldwide", was written by Oberst and given to Macey Taylor to sing.
• The fourteenth track, "Eagle on a Pole", was inspired by a comment made by Sean Foley who said, "I saw an eagle on a pole. I think it was an eagle." Simon Joyner
  Simon Joyner
  Simon Joyner is a singer-songwriter from Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Considered by some to be the forefather of the burgeoning Omaha music scene , he has profoundly influenced the music of Bright Eyes. Joyner also collaborated with John Darnielle, of The Mountain Goats, and Beck listed Joyner...
  
  , friend and mentor of Oberst, said that line would be great for a song, which planted the seed for others in the band to write a song from the line. Jason Boesel
  Jason Boesel
  Jason Boesel was the drummer for Rilo Kiley and has also played with The Elected. He also drummed in the Bright Eyes touring band during their 2005 tour, and went on to write the liner notes for the consequent Bright Eyes live album, Motion Sickness and contributing to Bright Eyes' 2007 record,...
  
  's version is on this record. Oberst's version is on Conor Oberst
  Conor Oberst (album)
  Conor Oberst is a solo-album by Conor Oberst, of the band Bright Eyes, which was released on August 5, 2008 by Merge Records. The album debuted on the UK Albums Chart at #37 and reached #15 on the Billboard Top 200.-Production:...
  
  .