You probably already know Conor Oberst: an oft-melancholy guy, sometimes folksy (Cassadaga), sometimes weird (Digital Ash / Digital Urn), sometimes completely brilliant (I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning).

Devout fans might find “Hundreds of Ways” more hopeful and optimistic than they’re used to from Mr. Oberst. It’s bouncy, upbeat, and the chorus contains the phrase “There are hundreds of ways / to get through the day”. Don’t call him Captain Sunshine yet though — the song also mentions insomnia, gothy sociopaths, and armageddon — there’s plenty of sad bastard stuff to go around.

His newest album, Upside Down Mountain, was released today. You should consider checking it out and buying it here. Not to be too hyperbolic, but it’s one of the greatest and best albums of the year.

RIYL: recovering sad bastards, Damien Rice, Damien Jurado, good music, cynicism, songwriters who use words like “forlorn”