Phoebe Bridgers and Conor Oberst Release Collaborative Album as Better Oblivion Community Center

For the past few weeks, Phoebe Bridgers and Conor Oberst have been teasing something that many speculated would be a new collaborative band called Better Oblivion Community Center. Today, it’s finally revealed that it is indeed the name of their new band and also the album, which they surprise-released in full. Around the same time of its release last night, the duo performed the song “Dylan Thomas” on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert backed by a star-studded band including Yeah Yeah Yeahs guitarist Nick Zinner and Autolux/Jack White drummer Carla Azar.

There’s a whole shtick behind Better Oblivion Community Center, which is touted as a satirical wellness retreat. There’s a phone line you can call to hear about their services, which include “dry ice meditation,” “free human empathy screening,” and “chosen family therapy.” They took this shtick to the Colbert stage by putting VHS effects on the camera, flashing the aforementioned services below the screen with the phone number, and cutting to a clip of Bridgers and Oberst in the audience looking shocked while watching Bridgers and Oberst perform.

Better Oblivion Community Center was produced by Bridgers, Oberst, and Andy LeMaster and features Zinner (on “Dylan Thomas” and “Dominoes”), Azar (drums on half of the album), and Dawes’ rhythm section Wylie Gelber and Griffin Goldsmith (on the other half). Christian Lee Hutson contributes guitar and Anna Butterss provides bass. Oberst and Bridgers previously teamed up for the song “Would You Rather,” off of Bridgers’ 2017 debut Stranger in the Alps. Oberst released Salutations that same year.

Watch their Colbert performance, listen to the new album in full, and watch Bridgers and Oberst’s KEXP in-studio performances (from 2018 and 2014, respectively) below.