Pages tagged “okkervil river”

Here's the list of my top albums of 2008, which I begrudgingly cobbled together after being told, no, I was not allowed to vote for last year's Everybodyfields album in all ten spots. Don't believe anyone who tells you music journalists have it easy! Life is hard.

1. She & Him - Vol. 1 (Merge)

We've just released our collective Top 50 at Paste, and there's been the usual response both on our site and others' about what you think we missed, what we got wrong and what the list really should have looked like. Since this was a collaborative effort with votes from staff and some of our regular critics, everyone would have made this list a little differently, including me. Here's my personal top 10 (i.e. the actual 10 best albums this year).

1. Bon Iver—For Emma, Forever Ago
Some albums stampede their way into your brain, others creep in during the middle of the night and lay claim to some hidden corner forever. Justin Vernon's debut is one of the sneakiest albums since Sam Beam whispered his way into my cerebral cortex in 2002.

Check out Paste's top 50 albums of 2008...

Paste wishes to congratulate both vice presidential candidates for their impressive performances during last night's debate. However, we were troubled to find one important issue ignored entirely.
"If it were left entirely up to you, what music would you use as your campaign theme song?"
While both Governor Palin and Senator Biden have left such questions unanswered, Paste Magazine asked some of our favorite musicians at Austin City Limits the same question.
Click the image to get the "straight talk" from artists on their picks for a  presidential campaign theme song.

For me, the last day of a festival can go either way: I've either hit my stride and am entertaining delusions of being able to keep up the pace for another few days, or I'm dragging my feet through the dust, struggling to make it from tent to tent and ruing the fools who thought hosting an outdoor music event in [insert Southern state here] in [insert summer month here] was a good idea.

Do you know how hard it was to avoid making a CCR pun in that headline? Almost as difficult as drinking, driving and smoking simultaneously. But not nearly as difficult as it's going to be when we hit peak oil and our fossil fuels slowly dwindle into lifeless trickles!

Okkervil River frontman Will Sheff wrote “Westfall,” a chilling murder ballad about the slaying of a young girl, more than six years ago. Yet even now, Okkervil audiences scream every word—indistinguishable faces channeling their repressed urges into a macabre sing-a-long that climaxes with the song’s repeated final line: “evil don’t look like anything.”

River’s level continues to rise

The cover of 2007’s The Stage Names featured a hand waving outstretched toward an embroidered, sunburst sky, basking in the glow of celebrity exposure. But the album periscoped into the masks and corroded identities of fame’s situation from its post-cinematic preamble to its tailpiece chantey for poet John Berryman. The Stand Ins' cover now dives beneath, revealing the skull-headed hand-owner who (as real film-industry stand ins do) supports the performance without getting to see the lights himself.

It's almost too much, really. As anticipation builds for The Stand Ins, Okkervil River's follow-up to last year's The Stage Names, the Austin band has begun to fan its fans' desires by opening up a YouTube channel with covers of all the album's songs. Covers, that is, before the Sept. 9 official release of the originals—crazy.

You could call the members of Okkervil River "a band." You could call them purveyors of music for people with "ears" and "brains" and occasionally "hearts (black and/or blood-red)." Maybe you could even say they're nearly-tireless touring machines. The one thing you can't call them, however, is stingy.

Maybe you've heard something about this band with the awkward name—Okkervil ("ocker-ville") River—in the last 12 months. The band is, after all, one of the most engaging live acts around, able to transcend power failures, perform in locker rooms and the backseats of cabs, share recipes and impress even the codgiest of codgers, Lou Reed.

Welcome to The Gorge, y'all. Sasquatch 2008 is here and it's overwhelming. So, in an effort to trim it down to something semi-manageable, I'm going to be posting photos and blurbs of my experience in Washington this Memorial Day Weekend. Enjoy...

Kathleen Edwards rocked with an immaculate band, spitting bile at the sun, particularly on set closer "The Cheapest Key." Edwards sang "B is for bullshit and you fed me some," but I'd argue that "B" is actually for "badass." She is just that.

With the “spend, spend, spend” mentality of the holidays, many folks might be finding their pockets lined with little more than old gum wrappers and crumpled gift receipts. How do you go about treating yourself after graciously giving to all your loved ones? Well, there’s always the self-appointed pat on the back, but, if you are itching for something that’s more substantial, yet not a wallet breaker, Okkervil River is here for you.

Last week, the Austin-based band released a cover EP, Golden Opportunities. With retooled songs from the likes of John Cale, The Fugs and Randy Newman, the nine featured tracks are from recordings that took place everywhere from radio stations to hotel stairwells.

To make this even more amazing, Golden Opportunities is free. Not two for one. Not 50% off. Most certainly not five easy payments of $39.99. It’s just refreshingly available via OkkervilRiver.com, sans price tag.

In other news, the band continues its tour de force across the globe. Having confirmed European/Australian dates, the lads will start off in Belfast, Ireland on Feb. 2 and keep on trucking all the way until March 5 when they reach New Zealand.

For those of you stranded on other continents, unable to make it to the shows, there’s Okkervil’s new video for “A Girl in Port.” May it bring you comfort and joy as your favorite band flies to other lands.

Dates:

February
2 - Belfast, Ireland @ Empire
3 - Edinburgh, Scotland @ Cabaret Voltaire
5 - London, England @ Scala
7 - Leuven, Belgium @ Stuk
8 - Paris, France @ La Maroquinerie
9 - Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso
10 - Nijmegen, Netherlands @ Doornroosje
23 - Adelaide, Australia @ Laneway Festival
24 - Melbourne, Australia @ Laneway Festival
26 - Melbourne, Australia @ Corner
27 - Sydney, Australia @ Manning Bar
29 - Perth, Australia @ Perth International Arts Festival

March
1 - Brisbane, Australia @ Laneway Festival
2 - Sydney Australia @ Laneway Festival
4 - Auckland, New Zealand @ Kings Arms
5 - Wellington, New Zealand @ San Francisco Bath House

Related links:
OkkervilRiver.com
Paste: Okkervil River: Stage Names
Okkervil River on Myspace

Got news tips for Paste? Email news@pastemagazine.com.

Click above to watch "Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe" from Okkervil River's new record The Stage Names out now on Jagjaguwar Records.

Okkervil River is flowing across the continent like some kind of ultimate watermass, one that began in Albuquerque and will make it all the way up to Quebec before hooking back down for a Texas terminus. Afterward, instead of dispensing into the ocean like the second-to-last step in every fifth grade water cycle poster, this River will chill out for a month before suddenly springing up in the United Kingdom.

The Austin-based band is on tour to promote its latest release, The Stage Names, which premiered last month on Jagjaguwar. Embedded below is a video of the album's first single, "Our Life is Not A Movie or Maybe," which is honestly very much like a real film in that it was directed by Margaret Brown (Be Here to Love Me). There is a makeout sesh and some booty, so it might not be entirely SFW -- in which case, check out the same song here on Conan.

Okkervil River tour dates:

September
4 - Los Angeles, Calif. @ Troubadour *
5 - San Francisco, Calif. @ Independent *
7 - Eugene, Ore. @ Wow Hall *
8 - Portland, Ore. @ Berbati's Pan (MusicFest NW) *
9 - Vancouver, B.C. @ Richard's on Richards *
10 - Seattle, Wash. @ Neumos *
12 - Salt Lake City, Utah @ Kilby Court *
13 - Denver, Col. @ Marquis Theatre *
14 - Omaha, Neb @ Waiting Room *
15 - Iowa City, Iowa @ Picador *
17 - Milwaukee, Wis. @ Pabst Theater *
18 - Chicago, Ill. @ Logan Square Auditorium *
19 - Urbana, Ill. @ The Canopy Club (Pygmalion Festival) *
21 - Toronto, Ontario @ Lee's Palace *
22 - Hamilton, Ontario @ Pepper Jack's Cafe *
23 - Montreal, Quebec @ La Sala Rossa *
24 - Burlington, Vt. @ Higher Ground *
25 - Boston, Mass. @ Middle East *
26 - Northampton, Mass. @ Iron Horse *
28 - New York, N.Y. @ Webster Hall *
29 - Philadelphia, Pa. @ Johnny Brenda's *
30 - Washington, D.C. @ Rock and Roll Hotel *

October
2 - Carrboro, N.C. @ Cat's Cradle *
3 - Athens, Ga. @ 40 Watt *
4 - Tallahassee, Fla. @ Club Downunder @ FSU *
5 - New Orleans, La. @ House of Blues *
6 - Houston, Texas @ Walter's on Washington *

November
6 - Colchester, UK @ Colchester Arts Centre
7 - Nottingham, UK @ The Social
8 - Newcastle, UK @ Newcastle University
9 - Glasgow, UK @ Nice N Sleazy
10 - Manchester, UK @ Manchester Roadhouse
12 - Brussels, Belgium @ Ancienne Belgique
13 - Paris, France - La Cigalle @ w/ Vic Chesnutt
14 - Fribourg, Switzerland @ Fri-Son
19 - Wien, Austria @ Szene
20 - Muenchen, Germany @ Registratur
22 - Frankfurt, Germany @ Brotfabrik
23 - The Hague, Netherlands @ Crossing Border Festival
24 - Muenster, Germany @ Gleiss
25 - Cologne, Germany @ Prime Club
26 - Berlin, Germany @ Lido
27 - Hamburg, Germany @ Knust
29 - Copenhagen, Denmark @ Loppen
30 - Stockholm, Sweden @ Spark Club @ Debaser Medis

December
4 - Brighton, UK @ Pressure Point
5 - Liverpool, UK @ Liverpool Academy
6 - Dublin, Ireland @ Whelans
7 - Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
8 - Cardiff, UK @ Barfly
9 - London, UK @ Luminaire

* w/ Damien Jurado

Related links:
OkkervilRiver.com
Okkervil River on MySpace
Download MP3: Okkervil River - "Our Life is Not A Movie or Maybe

Got news tips for Paste? Email news@pastemagazine.com.

Acerbic Austinites bring dynamism and sentiment to their indie-gothic fables

Okkervil River is a clearinghouse of contemporary indie-rock tendencies -- the hand-sewn chamber pop of Bright Eyes, the symphonic sweep of the Arcade fire, the darkly playful arcana of The Decemberists, the super-nerd yelping of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. These sad-sack satirists pepper their fourth album with tracks that quicken the pace to anaerobic levels, as frontman Will Sheff liberally shpritzes his microphone while the band gets lathered up like participants in a grade-school dodgeball game. The rickety kineticism of "Unless it's Kicks" and "A Hand to Take Hold of the Scene" brings variety to the picaresque panoramas that dominate the album -- "A Girl in Port," colored by an aching pedal steel wrapped around N'awlins-style horns; "Title Song," its sinking ennui set off by regal organ and drum fills; and the corrosive self-loathing of Sheff's vocal on closing track "John Allyn Smith Sails." Most unexpected, though, is "Savannah Smiles," which unveils something new for this band: unabashed fatherly tenderness.

Sometimes we presents you with a news headline so succinct, concise, and utterly elegant that to add anything else would seem like overkill. But you know, the word “overkill” sort of looks like the word “Okkervil,” as in “Okkervil River,” as in the Austin-based band whose new album The Stage Names will be released on August 7 on Jagjaguwar Records.

Did you see what we just did there?

A long list of tour dates:

August:
30 - Albuquerque, NM - Launchpad
31 - Phoenix, AZ - The Brickhouse

September:
3 - San Diego, N.M. @ Casbah
4 - Los Angeles, Calif. @ Troubadour
5 - San Francisco, Calif. @ Independent
8 - Portland, Ore. @ Berbati's Pan (MusicFest NW)
9 - Vancouver, British Columbia - Richard's on Richards
10 - Seattle, Wash. @ Neumos
13 - Denver, Colo. @ Marquee Theater
14 - Omaha, Neb. @ Waiting Room
15 - Iowa City, Iowa @ Picador
17 - Milwaukee, Wis. @ Pabst Theatre
18 - Chicago, Ill. @ Logan Square Auditorium
19 - Urbana, Ill. @ The Canopy Club (Pygmalion Festival)
21 - Toronto, Ontario @ Lee's Palace
22 - Hamilton, Ontario @ Pepper Jack's Café
23 - Montreal, Quebec @ La Sala Rossa
24 - Burlington, Vt. @ Higher Ground
25 - Boston, Mass. @ Middle East
26 - Northampton, Mass. @ Pearl Street
28 - New York, N.Y. @ Webster Hall
29 - Philadelphia, Pa. @ Johnny Brenda's
30 - Washington, D.C. @ Rock and Roll Hotel

October:
2 - Carrboro, N.C. @ Cat's Cradle
3 - Athens, Ga. @ 40 Watt
4 - Tallahassee, Fla. @ Club Downunder
6 - Houston, Texas @ Walter's on Washington

November:
6 - Colchester, England @ Arts Centre
7 - Nottingham, England @ The Social
8 - Newcastle, England @ Newcastle University
9 - Glasgow, Scotland @ Nice N Sleazy
10 - Manchester, England @ Roadhouse

December:
4 - Brighton, England @ Pressure Point
5 - Liverpool, England @ Academy
6 - Dublin, Ireland @ Whelans
7 - Leeds, England @ Brudenell Social Club
8 - Cardiff, England @ Barfly
9 - London, England @ Luminaire

Related links:
OkkervilRiver.com
Okkervil River on MySpace
Jagjaguwar Records

Got news tips for Paste? Email news@pastemagazine.com.