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.

Well, no gin, no misbehaviour (except the mandatory foul language), Christ you’d be forgiven for thinking I’d sold out on you and actually grown up at last.  No fear of that actually, just a bit of liver protection.  We’re trying to guzzle just that little bit less midweek, and save the beer tokens for when we really need them, so it’s tea and slippers this time around.  In fact I thought I was being exceptionally tame until such time as I realised that I hadn’t reigned in the swearing one little bit.  Fuck, I thought to myself.

Thematically, erm, you’re on your own I’m afraid.  I’ve no real idea if you can think of anything that holds all these songs together as a coherent whole, but damned if I can.  There’s quite a bit of new stuff and quite a few stray songs that I didn’t know how to cover because I didn’t want to review the whole album, but there was a song or two that I liked.  You know what I mean.  And thirteen songs in just under an hour – fucking hell that’s efficient.

Toadcast #36 – The Domesticast

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01. Christian Williams – 30 Minutes (00.17)
02. Calexico – The News About William (05.03)
03. Crystal Stilts – Crippled Croon (07.42)
04. Glasvegas – Flowers & Fitba Tops (14.39)
05. Fishboy – Half Time at the Proper Name Spelling Bee (20.12)
06. From – One Spring Away (23.21)
07. Eef Barzelay – Make Another Tree (28.19)
08. Michael Zapruder – Ads For Feelings (34.23)
09. Okkervil River – Singer Songwriter (37.37)
10. Marc Farre – La Plaie et le Couteau (42.42)
11. Adam Balbo – Big Kid Now (48.14)
12. Christian Williams – Judas (50.24)
13. Micah P. Hinson – Throw the Stone (57.00)

I’m trying to become just a little bit more relevant to the good people of Edinburgh this year, so I am going to have a go at making this a weekly feature where I pick up on the most appealing looking gigs looming in the capital for the forthcoming week. As it will invariably have mp3s of the bands it should hopefully be useful for the rest of you as well.

Monday 28th January: Operahouse & Endor at Cabaret Voltaire – Free Entry.
Operahouse have a new single, the hugely infectious Born a Boy, out this week so a free gig seems like an excellent chance to check out their excellent bouncy indie-pop.
Endor I don’t know all that well, but I have heard such a lot of good things about them that I am rather looking forward to this.

Operahouse – Machine Palace (Demo)
Endor – Lead Balloons

Wednesday 30th January: Laura Viers at Cabaret Voltaire
I am not a massive Laura Viers fan, but she has done some gorgeous things. I missed her last album but I’m open to persuasion if anyone reckons it’s really worth exploring. I’d be going to this if I had any money left this month. Check out the gorgeous duet on Shadow Blues though – truly exceptional.

Laura Viers – Shadow Blues

Wednesday 31st January: Broken Records & Boyfriend/Girlfriend at The Caves.
This gig is being hosted as part of a club night with DJ sets from Vic Galloway and I Fly Spitfires so it should be brilliant. Tickets aren’t available for sale, so I hope I can get in with my grey hair and qualifications, but I like the sound of Boyfriend/Girlfriend and you all already know how much I love Broken Records. Don’t you?

Broken Records – Lies
Boyfriend/Girlfriend – Fears Of

Saturday 2nd February: Morrissey at the Playhouse
Seriously, I am going to a Mozza gig. I’m not a devoted fan, but I reckon it would be daft to pass up the chance to see a legend live, so thanks to JC at The Vinyl Villain for coming up with a couple of tickets. No idea what I’m going to make of this!

Morrissey – You’re Gonna Need Someone On Your Side

Sunday 3rd February: Okkervil River at Cabaret Voltaire.
If I wasn’t busy I’d be going to this. I really liked The Stage Names, the album they released last year, although I somehow never quite got round to reviewing it. It’s lovely laid back indie Americana with a little more kick than most.

Okkervil River – Unless It’s Kicks