Bright eyes - souled out 7"

Connor has a new album out on Merge in the US and wichita in the UK...and of course the Brits get the one-sided 7" from Mr. Oberst come September 1st.
I've been listening to the streaming album and it's more of Cassadega...kind of very traditional rock/alt-country or something. He's still an amazing songwriter, but I guess I'm just not as wowed by these tracks musically. He's a force of songwriting...like Dylan, I'm sure history will compare the two in indie rock circles for sure.
Am I changing with him?....no. I know you can't/don't want to do the 4-track sloppy noise forever....or that's what it seems like. You don't want to be pigeonholed into anything I would hope. But is this really his direction or is there some kind of outside pressure/influence to go more mainstream in sound/production? I'm always reading about that jump for a band...into the next level of sales/exposure, the label wants it for sure.
The Nirvana effect or something...but it has to always hurt the artist.
There should be a relationship where the artist just streams tracks to the label and they just release it...but then there's always touring, they have to promote the record in the first place....oh fuck, I don't know what it is.
I just think this latest is ok...but I want new, innovation, surprise.
It's just not here.

Then to top it off, the 7" has an etching on the other side, not even a b-side track.

Of course it's all overseas...From Norman records:

This recording was made in Tepoztlán, Morelos, México during the months of January and February 2008. In Tepoztlán, a place known for Aztec Magic and Extra-Terrestrial Sightings, a temporary studio was created in a mountain villa called Valle Místico at the outskirts of town. It was produced by Conor Oberst with much help from engineer and long time associate Andy LeMaster. A special band was assembled for the recording, known amongst themselves and to friends as The Mystic Valley Band. It was there at Valle Místico that Conor and the band lived and worked for that time in near perfect harmony, often unaware of the hour or the day. The result is his first solo album in thirteen years, following Water (1993), Here’s To Special Treatment (1994) and Soundtrack To My Movie (1995). In that time he has recorded and preformed in many bands and musical projects including Commander Venus, Park Ave., Desaparecidos, and most notably Bright Eyes, his main musical vehicle for the past decade.
The self-titled album will be released on Wichita Recordings.

The Single comes as a one sided 7” complete with artwork etching on side B and is limited to 700 copies

or from hotstuff:

Podcast Episode 20: Special Sonic Youth edition (with Matt of course)! We play some old sonic youth, a peel session blank label 7" from 88, we talk about art school fostering bands in general, and the general history of SY....