He has been writing, recording and performing his songs since he was 13 years old, primarily with Bright Eyes, and also with Desaparecidos, Commander Venus and Park Ave.

Since the release of his first cassette, Water, in 1993, Oberst has been hailed as the heir to an American Songwriting tradition, and compared to the likes of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen.

Dipping into styles from folk-rock to punk to country to electronica, Bright Eyes relied on Oberst's sometimes painfully candid songs.

He's on tour to promote the release of his first solo album in 13 years, the first one under his own name since he was an underage and unknown.

It's the perfect vehicle for Oberst to enjoy piano-slamming trad-rock arrangements and big pop hooks plus some relatively strong country-rock numbers.

The prodigiously talented singer/songwriter is known for forging his own path and claims never to have strived for a hit single; his goals, he says, are 'freedom and longevity'.

'A lot of people who achieve a certain amount of those two things, freedom and longevity, I think they inevitably at some point have a height – a song or an album that gives them a little leverage to do what they want. Sometimes I think, 'Well, do I need that to happen to me?' But I don't know if I do. It doesn't seem to be affecting anything.

'My friends who are in the next tier of celebrity, what they have to deal with – it doesn't look like any fun at all.'

Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band will be at the Wedgewood Rooms on Tuesday.

For tickets, call (023) 9286 3911, or visit www.wedgewood-rooms.co.uk