Every Thursday, Pop Addict presents infectious tunes from contemporary musicians across indie rock, pop, folk, electronica, and more.
Okkervil River: I Am Very Far (Jagjaguwar, 5/10/11)
Okkervil River: “Wake and Be Fine”
[audio:https://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Okkervil-River-Wake-and-Be-Fine.mp3|titles=Okkervil River: “Wake and Be Fine”]Austin indie-folk band Okkervil River has always been pretty bookish. With lyrics that read, more often than not, like poems or short stories, Will Sheff and company have penned some of the most evocative and menacing lines in contemporary music.
From the haunting storyline of “Westfall” on the band’s 2002 debut, Don’t Fall In Love With Everyone You See, to the wistful longings of “For Real” and “Black” on 2005 standout Black Sheep Boy, to the sing-along chorus of “Lost Coastlines” from The Stand Ins, Okkervil River has crafted poetic, imaginative, visceral, and oftentimes harrowing tales. But the band’s appeal doesn’t begin and end with the lyrics. Instead, Okkervil River provides a vast arsenal of instrumentation and musical sensibilities, covering a barrage of genres within the indie scene. And with I Am Very Far, the band’s latest effort, those trends continue with much success.