Okkervil River – The Stand-Ins
I am forever almost liking Okkervil River, and then not quite managing it. This is another one of those incredibly frustrating albums with some great songs on it, and yet with a bit too much slush inbetween for me to really get into it.
I really don’t rate Conor Oberst particularly, but at his best he is vaguely similar to this bunch, with a sort of easy rock ‘n’ roll beat, and purposeful, clever lyrics. Actually, when Okkervil River’s rhythm gets going their music has terrific momentum, thundering through the polemical Singer Songwriter with such energy that it’s almost impossible not to get carried away. There are a few others like that as well – Pop Lie is similarly clatterous*, where songs like On Tour With Zykos take things down to something more like a plaintive lament, without losing any of the urgency.
As much as I love some of this, however, I find myself hearing similar rhythms far too often over the course of this album. I have no technical music knowledge of course, so I don’t know if that’s the case, or if maybe it’s just similar transitions or vocal inflections. The rise and fall of a lot of the vocals do seem to be, if not exactly similar, then very much related.
Maybe this is what happens when you are actually, in your heart of hearts, not a massive fan of a band. I know that when I don’t like other stuff I have to stop myself saying ‘Oh, it all sounds the same’. It’s a lame accusation, but maybe it’s just a symptom of not being that into something. So perhaps the best way to describe my relationship with this is as such: I am not a fan of Okkervil River, but nevertheless I find myself very much liking some of their songs.
Okkervil River – Pop Lie
Okkervil River – On Tour With Zykos
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* Yes, I know, a made up word.
this is weird today. nobody has anything to say. it’s like a ghost town!
This tends to happen after a couple of crazy posts – people blow themselves out a bit. Fear not, Euan mate, they’ll be back.
Clatterous. I like it. Wheres the Monday moans then?
Ok, I’ve really tried to like this album, I swear it! But the vocals just don’t grab me in the right places. Am I wrong to think it just goes all emo? Perhaps it’s my genetic aversion to indie but yes, I hear a few refrains that I like and then the song goes flop. Sad really, they are very talented folk and so popular, I’d like to be with the “in crowd” for once.
I think all the Okkervil River albums are inconsistent. There are almost always 3 or so songs on an album which I find wonderful. Yeah, a lot of their stuff is forgettable, but when they hit, they hit! And they reach levels most bands don’t.
Due to their connections, I am always waiting for Shearwater to reach the heights of Okkervil River, but they don’t manage. Yeah, I know, totally different sounds/bands, but I can’t help but compare.
I thin ‘clatterous’ is apt. They do bang on through and I certainly find myself tumbling along in the crashing wave.
Erh! What an ugly sentence! That’s why I’m not an author.
Nope.
Next?
i like some of there stuff. saw them at cab vol and the sound was shocking to being with but I find the earlier stuff quite good.
Had they not just rocked in at the last minute at that gig, after all sorts of problems crossing over from Ireland? I don’t think they sound-checked. Broken Records were the support that night if I’m not mistaken.
Apologies if that last comment of mine sounds a bit brusque, I haven’t actually done any listening on here for a few days, even though there have been a fair few of my annoying random-arse comments, so I’m kind of rattling through the stuff I’ve missed.
I do like Horse Feathers, by the way.
Erm… shall I go and post that over on that thread?
yeah they had just rocked up. but still. think you are being a little harsh on them – infact, everyone here is. i’m a fan.
My post was intended to be mostly positive. I hope it came over that way. I’m with Euan in that I really enjoyed some of their older stuff. But then again, I think The Stand-Ins is good too. Let them write 10 songs and they’ll produce 3 gems. Every time.
Well I don’t know if I feel harsh or just ambivalent. It’s one of those albums where I change my mind on how good I think it is more or less every five minutes.
It’s true, their ferry from Ireland got delayed so they didn’t arrive til half an hour before doors, and they had to set up from scratch straight after us, so I’m not surprised if the sound was a bit rubbish at the start. And it was pissing with rain/sleet. they didn’t look at all happy when they showed up!
Just bought this and am properly smitten, though I was a fan coming in. Far better than Calexico.
Grrr…