Conor Oberst

According to 311's Nick Hexum, the band's new album, Universal Pulse, with its premier single, "Sunset In July", is "kind of like the ultimate Summer jam, and about the experience of touring."

While my wife loves the typical type of music that NPR stations play, I had kept myself sorta willfully ignorant about a lot of the more cerebral and free-range acts that live on those play-lists.

Wedren began his career fronting the seminal Washington, DC post-punk outfit Shudder to Think, a band that helped define the scenes in the '80s and '90s. Here is his latest release: "Are We."

Coming off of a string of very strong variant projects such as Monsters Of Folk and his work with The Mystic Valley Band, Conor Oberst returns with his Bright Eyes cast on the album The People's Key.

On Wednesday, Zack de la Rocha and Tom Morello, Conor Oberst and Dolores Huerta joined together in a press conference to discuss Soundstrike and their campaign against Arizona's SB 1070.

So this is what Pearl Jam would sound like after hanging with George Thorogood. It's great to hear the guys trying on old school rock 'n' roll and putting their moniker on it.

This week's column features Martha Wainwright, Robert Randolph, Derek Trucks, John Prine, Gold Old War, and Conor Oberst.

John Mellencamp says his next album was made in part at Sun Studios. "Everything was set up exactly as Cash and Elvis Presley recorded."

As you're recovering from the joyful overkill that was this year's Comic-Con, take a few moments to catch-up on a handful of the more interesting new press releases.

Causecast wants to reward the people who are committed to doing good and participating in this summer's United We Serve initiatives, so we're giving the tickets away to those who tweet us with their service plans for summer.

Taken from Pete Yorn's latest album Back & Fourth, a live video performance of the single "Last Summer" premieres on HuffPost, its melody rocking somewhere between The Byrds and Gin Blossoms.

Back & Fourth is on course as one of the best albums of 2009.

Ever since Cat Stevens embraced Islam, the West has been clueless when it comes to accepting the former superstar. His latest release, Roadsinger, is a good start in rebuilding that emotional bridge to Stevens.

Conor and I had a conversation back before the election about his activism, politics, and, of course, the music.

Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band are making history as they use technology, music and film to not only entertain their fans, but to raise money for numerous causes on Causecast.

So while we get excited about Conor Oberst and Iron & Wine, can't we make a little room for Maria Muldaur, Irma Thomas, and Taj Mahal without losing street cred? I say "YES!"

One of Obama's most ardent supporters is Conor Oberst, the singer/songwriter best known for his band, Bright Eyes.