Okkervil River: The BEST Band You Haven't Had Time To Listen To (So Far)

modage · April 24, 2011, 08:07:12 PM

Love the new album. Excited to know what RK thinks of it.

RegularKarate · April 25, 2011, 11:44:04 AM

I really like it.
I was pretty up and down during the first couple of listens. It starts out so different, then sort of heads into "Down the River" territory (I think my least favorite album, but still great). Now I think I hear what the album is doing and I'm really into it.

Still need a few more listens.

LUCKILY, Saturday, they announced a surprise show. It's tonight and I have tickets. I haven't seen them in a while and I'm pretty excited!

modage · April 25, 2011, 12:18:49 PM

That's awesome. I've heard it like, a dozen times or more since Friday morning. Tops 2011 for me (so far).

Ghostboy · April 25, 2011, 12:20:25 PM

I'm supposed to be seeing them on Saturday with the Arcade Fire - except I stupidly booked some travel that sees me getting back to Texas three hours after the show! Desperately trying to get my plane tickets changed so I can make it...I can't imagine a better band to see them with.

RegularKarate · April 26, 2011, 10:40:33 AM

Oh man, that show was great.

They were throwing it together last minute as kind of a home-turf practice show before they head out on tour so they had a noise curfew and couldn't play as long as they clearly wanted to, but it was still a good sized show and very high-energy.

They played the entire new album one side at a time with older material between the sides. There are three sides (the fourth side is just artwork) so it broke up nicely. Before they played, Will said that about 70% of the album was being played live for the first time (which was funny because the couple times he forgot a word or made a flub was with the older material).

The first couple songs and the last three songs are amazing live and the rest was good, but I think they'll probably grow as live songs as the tour goes on.

I was a little disappointed that they didn't close with Westfall. I don't know if it's because they don't do that any more with this lineup or because they had to stop early (the encore was one song long, they left the stage then came running back out because they found out they only had time for one more song).

Should be a good tour. Can't wait for them to head back this way with the polished road set.

tpfkabi · April 27, 2011, 07:03:51 PM

Wake and Be Fine video really fits the stream of lyrics.

Just got this Tuesday. I'm surprised that this seems to be getting kind of swept under the rug in the indie community.

There is some really interesting stuff going on in this album. Sheff talked about it in detail on Spin a few months ago. If the recording or songwriting process intrigues you at all I would suggest looking that interview up.

Ghostboy · May 01, 2011, 04:58:16 PM

I made it to their show with Arcade Fire last night. Seriously, such a good combo. It was also my first time seeing Okkervil play with the new lineup. They're really, really strong, especially when it came to the harmonies (they DID close with Westfall here, RK, so never fear, that's still in rotation).

RegularKarate · May 18, 2011, 02:44:56 PM

Ghostboy, I hope it's cool that I post THIS VIDEO you made of Wills Sheff and Schaff meeting about Okkervil album art.

I really liked this. There was a ghostly feeling that I had seen it before (despite that not being possible).

Ghostboy · May 18, 2011, 04:17:16 PM

Yes, you beat me to it (posting it, that is)!

We were trying to recreate something that was lost. : )

tpfkabi · May 21, 2011, 09:23:25 PM

That was very interesting. Did the artist ask to never be shown in focus?

I would like to know what all you used in making that - mics/camera/editing software, etc - if you want to tell me, PM me.

modage · June 08, 2011, 11:04:40 AM

Holy shit! So I saw them last night for the 3rd time and they were amazing! The new drummer is a BEAST and he gives the whole band more energy. They were a completely changed band. The new songs are great (and dark) but the crowd seemed to only want to hear the older stuff.

I also had a realization during the show last night.

Okkervil River are my favorite band.

Ghostboy · June 08, 2011, 11:59:07 AM

Quote from: bigideas on May 21, 2011, 09:23:25 PM
That was very interesting. Did the artist ask to never be shown in focus?

I would like to know what all you used in making that - mics/camera/editing software, etc - if you want to tell me, PM me.

Yeah, Shaff asked that his face never be clearly seen. We had to defocus some of it in post.

We shot it on two Canon 5Ds with a bunch of really old lenses and some lens babies and stuff. Editing was just Final Cut Pro. That was about it.