Okkervil River

This article is about the band. For the river, see Okkervil River (Neva basin).

Okkervil River
Okkervil River
Background information
Origin	Austin, Texas, United States
Genres	Indie rock, Folk rock, Alt-country
Years active	1998–present
Labels	Jagjaguwar, Jound, Virgin, EMI
Associated acts	Shearwater, Roky Erickson
Website	www.okkervilriver.com
Members
Will Sheff Cully Symington Patrick Pestorius Justin Sherburn Lauren Gurgiolo Michael St.Clair Brian Cassidy (non-touring member)
Past members
Travis Nelsen Chris Heinrich Scott Brackett Howard Draper Jonathan Meiburg Mark Pedini Zach Thomas Seth Warren

Okkervil River is an indie rock band from Austin, Texas. Formed in 1998, the band takes its name from a short story by Russian author Tatyana Tolstaya. They self-released their first album, Stars Too Small to Use, which led them to the South by Southwest music festival. After recording their first album in a garage, they signed with Jagjaguwar. Okkervil River continued by releasing four more albums, including the critically lauded concept album Black Sheep Boy.^[1]

After a period of touring for Black Sheep Boy, Okkervil River followed up with The Stage Names. The album sold 10,000 in its opening week in the United States. The group released a free covers album, Golden Opportunities Mixtape from their live performances.

The band has garnered positive critical reception. Especially noted are each song's lyrics, intricate instrumentation, and thematic albums.^[2] In addition, they were featured on the talk show Late Night with Conan O'Brien and have performed with high profile bands such as The Decemberists, The New Pornographers, The National, and Lou Reed.

Okkervil River released the album The Stand Ins on September 9, 2008. They promoted the release with a series of cover songs from the album on YouTube by people they've met as a band.^[3] Their 2010 collaboration as a backing band with psychedelic rocker Roky Erickson yielded True Love Cast Out All Evil. On May 10, 2011, Okkervil River released their sixth full-length album, I Am Very Far.

History

Formation

Scott Brackett playing trumpet at the 2007 Fun Fun Fest in Austin, Texas

Okkervil River's founding members became friends at Kimball Union Academy in Meriden, New Hampshire, and after parting ways for college moved to Austin, Texas to live together and start a band. The band consisted of singer-songwriter Will Sheff, Zach Thomas on bass and mandolin, and Seth Warren on drums. Their first gig was at Steamboat in Austin on January 11, 1999.^[4]

Bedroom EP and Stars Too Small to Use

In 1998, the group self-released their first disc, Bedroom EP. Over the course of two weekends in the summer of 1999, they recorded a seven song self-released album titled Stars Too Small to Use, with recording engineer Jeff Hoskins.

They met Jonathan Meiburg at a gig with his band Whu Gnu at the Waterloo Brewing Company on December 3, 1999. Meiburg subsequently joined the band on accordion and later on pianos and organs.

On the strength of Stars Too Small to Use, Okkervil River was admitted into the 2000 SXSW music festival. Their first major press was a SXSW feature article^[5] in the Austin Chronicle on March 3, 2000.

Don't Fall in Love with Everyone You See and Down the River of Golden Dreams

Okkervil guitarist Brian Cassidy at Fun Fun Fun fest in 2007

The band met recording engineer and producer Brian Beattie at their SXSW showcase on March 18, 2000 and soon agreed to make a record together. They spent much of the rest of that year working on Don't Fall in Love with Everyone You See. Warren moved to Berkeley, California in December and was replaced on drums by Mark Pedini.

By the time of that year's SXSW festival, Okkervil River had received interest in their new record from the Bloomington, Indiana-based record label Jagjaguwar. The record was released on Jagjaguwar on January 22, 2002.

One year later the band traveled to San Francisco and reunited with Warren to record their third album at Tiny Telephone with engineer Scott Solter at the console. Jagjaguwar released Down the River of Golden Dreams on September 2, 2003.

In 2003, Pedini left the band to pursue his graphic design work, leaving Okkervil River without a drummer for that year's SXSW. They invited Travis Nelsen, fresh off a tour filling in on drums for sister labelmates Secretly Canadian's Swearing at Motorists, to perform with them. He soon became the band's full-time drummer. The next year, during a long bout of touring, the band added keyboardist and lap-steel player Howard Draper as a fifth member.

Black Sheep Boy, The Stage Names and The Stand Ins

In August 2004, the band began recording with Beattie again, finally putting the finishing touches on their third full-length album, Black Sheep Boy in November. It was released on April 5, 2005. As a result of the album's critical success, Okkervil River followed up with an EP entitled Black Sheep Boy Appendix on November 22, 2005. This was the first recording with Draper, horn and keyboardist Scott Brackett, guitarist Brian Cassidy, and touring bassist Pat Pestorius, who eventually replaced Zach Thomas in the band. In 2006 the band did a Take-Away Show session with Vincent Moon.

Lauren Gurgiolo

On April 17, 2006, Okkervil River signed with Virgin/EMI in Europe. The label re-released Black Sheep Boy and its follow-up Black Sheep Boy Appendix as a double disc on April 28, 2006. Jagjaguwar eventually followed suit, releasing the Definitive Edition with extra songs and videos.^[6]

The Stage Names, their fourth full-length studio album (produced again by Beattie), was released on August 7, 2007. The disc features the solidified line-up that toured extensively on Black Sheep Boy and the Black Sheep Boy Appendix, with Cassidy replacing Draper who joined Shearwater. The album was met with critical acclaim^[7] and debuted at number 62 on the Billboard 200 with 10,000 copies sold.^[8]

Okkervil River released their fifth album The Stand Ins on September 9, 2008.^[9] In its first week, the album charted at #42 with 11,000 copies sold, according to the Billboard 200.^[10] On December 12, 2007, the band freely released a nine-song mixtape entitled Golden Opportunities Mixtape via their website.^[11] These recordings, along with the upcoming appendix, are the first to feature contributions from new touring keyboardist, Justin Sherburn, who joined the band in November 2007.

On March 2008, it was announced that guitarist Brian Cassidy would be stepping down from the band as a full-time touring member and would be temporarily replaced by Charles Bissell of The Wrens for their spring and summer tours.^[12] In the autumn of 2008 Lauren Gurgiolo, singer and songwriter of the Austin, Texas band The Dialtones, joined as a permanent member, playing electric guitar, lap steel guitar, mandolin and banjo.

After performing on Late Night with David Letterman in early 2009, the "Pop Lie" single was released backed with the b-sides "Millionaire" and "Pop Lie (One Man Band Version)".

I Am Very Far

Will Sheff, lead singer and song-writer (2008)

Okkervil River's new album, I Am Very Far, was announced during their performance on NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on January 2011. It was released on May 10, 2011.^[13]. To promote the album, the band went on tour in June 2011 with Titus Andronicus, Julianna Barwick, Future Islands and NewVillager^[14], and will go back on tour in fall 2011.

Other projects

Jonathan Meiburg, former Okkervil River member, at a festival in 2006

Main article: Shearwater (band)

In 2001, Meiburg and Sheff founded a second band known as Shearwater. Originally an outlet for Meiburg songs and some Sheff songs that didn't fit the Okkervil mold, Shearwater has gradually evolved into a full fledged band. The band's 2006 release, Palo Santo (sans Sheff's vocals, but including his musical input), has seen Meiburg receive great critical acclaim. The groups still share many fans, and, while on tour together in 2004, they released a limited edition split-CD entitled Sham Wedding/Hoax Funeral. In 2008, Meiburg left Okkervil River to focus exclusively on Shearwater.

On April 20, 2010, former 13th Floor Elevators singer-guitarist Roky Erickson released the album True Love Cast Out All Evil, produced by Will Sheff and backed by Okkervil River.

Notable performances

• On April 30, 2007, the band played at the grand opening of New York's Highline Ballroom at the request of Okkervil River fan Lou Reed, who headlined the show.
• On July 14, 2007, the band played the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord, New Hampshire. This was the first time Will Sheff had played live in New Hampshire, where the band was originally formed.
• On August 28, 2007, the band performed "Our Life Is Not a Movie or Maybe" on NBC's Late Night with Conan O'Brien.
• On March 12, 2008, Okkervil River performed as the backup band for legendary Austin musician, and psychedelic pioneer Roky Erickson at the Austin Music Awards.
• On January 7, 2009, the band performed "Pop Lie" on CBS's Late Show with David Letterman.
• On October 30, 2009, Okkervil River appeared on Austin City Limits.^[15]
• On January 10, 2011, Okkervil River performed "Wake And Be Fine" off their upcoming album, I Am Very Far, on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.^[16]
• On May 13, 2011, the band performed "Rider" on CBS's Late Show with David Letterman.

Discography

Albums 2002 Don't Fall in Love with Everyone You See - (Jagjaguwar) 2003 Down the River of Golden Dreams - (Jagjaguwar) 2005 Black Sheep Boy - (Jagjaguwar) 2007 The Stage Names - (Jagjaguwar) #62 US 2008 The Stand Ins - (Jagjaguwar) #42 US, #57 SWE 2011 I Am Very Far - (Jagjaguwar) #32 US, #66 UK Split albums 2003 Julie Doiron / Okkervil River – Acuarela, split with Julie Doiron 2004 Sham Wedding/Hoax Funeral – Jound, split with Shearwater EPs 1998 Bedroom EP – Jound 1999 Stars Too Small to Use - Jound 2004 Sleep and Wake-Up Songs - (Jagjaguwar) 2005 Black Sheep Boy Appendix - (Jagjaguwar) 2006 Overboard & Down – Inertia, Australia-only tour EP Other 2007 Black Sheep Boy (Definitive Edition) - Double album of Black Sheep Boy and Black Sheep Boy Appendix (Europe and US, Jagjaguwar) 2007 Golden Opportunities Mixtape - A collection of eight covers and one original song released on the band's website 2010 True Love Cast Out All Evil backing Roky Erickson - Anti-

Singles 1999 "The Velocity of Saul at the Time of His Conversion" – Jound, CD single 2000 "Kansas City Single" – Jound, CD single 2002 "Split single with South San Gabriel" – Tight Spot, 7” 2005 "For Real (There's Nothing Quite Like the Blinding Light)"' - Jagjaguwar, CD single 2006 "The President's Dead"' - Jagjaguwar, 12” 2007 "Our Life Is Not a Movie or Maybe" - Jagjaguwar 12” 2008 "Lost Coastlines" - Jagjaguwar, 12” 2009 "Pop Lie" - Jagjaguwar, CD single 2011 "Mermaid" b/w "Walked Out on a Line" Jagjaguwar, 12" vinyl/digital single 2011 "Wake and Be Fine" b/w "Weave Room Blues" Jagjaguwar, 7" vinyl/digital single 2011 "Rider" b/w "I Guess We Lost," Jagjaguwar 7" vinyl/digital single 2011 "Your Past Life As a Blast" b/w "Gold Faces," Jagjaguwar 7" vinyl/digital single Compilation contributions 1999 "Omie Wise" (Live) - Aural Fixation: Local Live Vol. 5 2002 "Disfigured Cowboy" - Comes With A Smile CD 2003 "Riot Act" - Glurp / Almost You: The Songs of Elvis Costello 2004 "My Bad Days (Live)" - Comes With A Smile CD 2005 "Nancy (Live)" - I Eat Records / Appetizers & Leftovers 2005 "Your Other Man" - Summersteps Records / Down in a Mirror: A Second Tribute to Jandek 2005 "Westfall (Live)" - Workplay / Workplay Live 2009 "All You Little Suckers" (East River Pipe cover) - Merge Records / Score! 20 Years of Merge Records: The Covers!

References

1. ^ "Best of 2005 List". Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/feature/-/593175. 
2. ^ Allmusic: Okkervil River
3. ^ "Kanaal van OkkervilRiver". YouTube. 2008-09-18. http://www.youtube.com/user/OkkervilRiver. Retrieved 2009-12-23. 
4. ^ http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid:76071
5. ^ The Austin Chronicle: Music: Okkervil River: The New Sincerity
6. ^ JAG120 Okkervil River - Black Sheep Boy (Definitive Edition)
7. ^ "The Stage Names". Metacritic. http://www.metacritic.com/music/artists/okkervilriver/stagenames?q=stage%20names. Retrieved 2007-08-15. 
8. ^ "After Five-Year Absence, UGK Scores First No. 1 Album". Billboard.com. 2007-08-15. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003625922. 
9. ^ Paul Thompson (2008-05-22). "New Okkervil River Album Due in September". Pitchfork Media. http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/50828-new-okkervil-river-album-due-in-september. Retrieved 2008-05-22. 
10. ^ "Metallica Scores Fifth Straight No. 1 Album". Billboard. 2008-09-17. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003850675. 
11. ^ "New Music: Okkervil River: Golden Opportunities Mixtape [MP3"]. Pitchfork. http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/download/47584-okkervil-river-golden-opportunities-mixtape-mp3. 
12. ^ "Pitchfork: The Wrens' Charles Bissell Joins Okkervil River". Pitchfork Media. http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/49255-the-wrens-charles-bissell-joins-okkervil-river. Retrieved 2008-03-12. 
13. ^ "Okkervil River's Will Sheff Talks New Album I Am Very Far, Shares New Non-LP Track "Mermaid"". http://pitchfork.com/news/41491-okkervil-rivers-will-sheff-talks-new-album-ii-am-very-fari-shares-new-non-lp-track-mermaid/. 
14. ^ [1]
15. ^ M.Ward/Okkervil River at PBS Video . Retrieved November 10, 2009.
16. ^ http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/video/okkervil-river-11011/1269103/

External links

• Official website
• Okkervil River's official Myspace
• Okkervil River's official YouTube channel
• Down The Oubliette - Okkervil River Fansite
• Okkervil River Lyrics and Guitar Tabs
• Okkervil River on NPR Music