Conor Oberst Feat. First Aid Kit: Hundreds of Ways

Conor Oberst is back with a new label (Nonesuch), album (Upside Down Mountain), and the above Record Store Day single. The new set marks a shift in direction, according to Oberst in a recent interview with Rolling Stone: “I don’t relate to a lot of my earlier songs,” he said. “They were extremely verbose. That might be cathartic when you’re doing it, but it doesn’t necessarily hold up.” While “Hundreds of Ways” isn’t exactly the non-rambler that quote implies, the Nashville-recorded cut does feel like a nod to Music City’s collaborative tradition. Most notable among those collaborators are the Swedish duo First Aid Kit, whom he toured and duetted with in 2011. Hear the promising first taste of his Jonathan Wilson-produced effort above. The LP arrives in full on May 20th.