Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band and Elvis Costello and Eric Clapton

When one goes from a band or group onto their own solo project, or side project, it seems it goes one of two ways. Over-hyped or under appreciated. Eric Clapton did just fine without the rest of Cream-well they all kinda did, but Art Garfunkel did not reach the same level of success as his partner Paul Simon did after they split. Saying that Elvis Costello would have not been Elvis Costello without the “Attractions” is like saying that Conor Oberst isn’t himself a star without the “Mystic Valley Band.” In Mr. Oberst’s new release Outer South, slated for May 5th, he proves that either way he still has some weird sorta familiarness to his sound that may just pan out or has it already?