Oberst, Ward and James are all at a similar places in their careers, having each made at least one unexpected record – from Bright Eyes’ polarising, doomy 2005 album, Digital Ash In A Digital Urn, to James embracing Prince and disco on Evil Urges or Ward’s celebration of girl group retro pop as one half of She & Him. While on paper Monsters Of Folk might seem like a no-brainer hit, they actually present yet another moving target.
“Its pretty remarkable that these four musicians, with talents as varied and formidable as they individually posses, have been able to work together on a project,” says Zooey Deschanel, the actress who recorded an album with Matt Ward as She & Him in 2008. “I saw Matt and Jim James perform together at South By Southwest last year and I have to say it was a transcendent experience; one of the most beautiful moments I have ever witnessed on stage.”
Monsters Of Folk are planning a tour that will include material from the new album as well as Bright Eyes, Oberst and Ward solo material and My Morning Jacket favourites. Characteristically, these shows will be freewheeling evenings full of unpredictable setlists.
“Some nights we’ll all come out rocking,” James says. “Other nights it will just be me or Conor onstage playing solo.” It remains to be seen how the fine new material will go over after its stature as minor urban myth fades. Even if Monsters Of Folk lands as an utter anti-climax, they will have likely moved on to a trio of new phases.
“Even if it came out and everyone hated it, four years from now we’ll probably be like, ‘Let’s make another one,” James says. “We’re all gonna do whatever we do.”
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