Knowing that there would be some serious downtime before Bright Eyes recorded again, Conor Oberst thought about where he’d like to spend a couple months hanging out instead. He has some friends who live near Tepoztlán, Mexico, which from all accounts seemed like a mysterious and powerful place to be creative. There he found Valle Místico, a small hotel with four two-story houses. He rented the whole place, converted one of the bungalows into a studio, and recorded the first album to bear his given name in 13 years. Here, Filter guides you on the recent musical and spiritual journey of the seminal singer/songwriter, as Oberst explores his nomadic lifestyle and the effect it has on his music, his belief in life on other planets, and the allure of Aztec holidays and Mexican cocktails.

Meanwhile, modern day bandits Billy Bob Thornton and Kris Kristofferson buddy up and discuss the life of a double threat in music and film, and fondly admire the work of their friends Johnny Cash, Roger Miller and each other. Our latest tribute goes out to Kevin Nealon, a comic’s comic, through and through, complete with glowing testimonials from pals Dana Carvey, Mary Louise Parker and Tim Meadows. We round the bend with Montreal’s Wolf Parade, whose open-minded artistry is always expanding. Also, after six years of exile, James recounts its crusade to reclaim the throne.

Additionally: Gaz Coombes of Supergrass and The Fratellis’ Jon Fratelli find out that  they have quite a lot in common, Damon Albarn tries to save the world, Billy Childish has a few choice things to say about what really constitutes art, and Priscilla Ahn shows there’s much more to her than a pretty face. Plus: A savage journey into the heart of Tokyo with X Japan, Girl Talk, Fleet Foxes, Bitter:Sweet, Low Vs Diamond, Matthew Sweet, The Wackness, American Teen, and an EndNote from Hot Fuzz creators Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg, and Jessica Hynes that’s revealing enough to raise the dead.

COVER
Deep in the Valley of Mystics: The Great Escape of CONOR OBERST

FEATURES

Cheeky Cheeba & Likely Lads: SUPERGRASS Meets THE FRATELLIS

The Tune in Tokyo and the Curious Appeal of a Thing Called X JAPAN

Uptown Rankin’: DAMON ALBARN and the Honest Jon’s Revue Save the World

Brothers-In-Outlaw: A Conversation with BILLY BOB THORNTON and KRIS KRISTOFFERSON

This is the Problem: A Conversation with BILLY CHILDISH

F-STOP
Something Dangerous, Something Sweet: The Allure of PRISCILLA AHN

Unite, Rejoice, WOLF PARADE

TRIBUTE
Sit Down Next to Me: JAMES Reclaims its Throne

Hear Him Now and Believe Him Later: Everybody Loves KEVIN NEALON

GETTING TO KNOW
GIRL TALK
FLEET FOXES
BITTER:SWEET
LOW VS DIAMOND

YOU SHOULD ALREADY KNOW
MATTHEW SWEET

FLICKER
The Wackness: A Conversation with director Jonathan Levine

American Teen: A Conversation with director Nanette Burstein

ENDNOTE
by EDGAR WRIGHT, SIMON PEGG and JESSICA HYNES

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