Artist: Okkervil River
Album: I Am Very Far
Label: Jagjaguwar
Release Date: May 10, 2011
Review by: Sean Kayden
Only until recently, I wasn’t all that familiar with the indie rock outfit, OKKERVIL RIVER. All I knew about them was that they were continually releasing critically acclaimed records dating back to 2002. Their sound and stories have always embodied pure Americana. Okkervil River’s sixth album, “I Am Very Far” strays away a bit from the band’s antecedent sound and in doing so they’ve crafted an entirely new facet to their progressively intrepid resonance. The recording process for the album differed from many other acts in today’s music. They initially recorded to tape, hired a room full of guitarists, two drummers, and provided a copious amount of strings, horns and other orchestra sections. When all was said and done, “I Am Very Far” proved to be a truly haunting, restrained, cold, despairing and magnificent work of artistry by a group that’s never followed the rules. As we all know, only the coolest of cool have the audacity to break away from the uninspiring norm.
The intensely affecting vocals of Will Sheff are a musical device all their own. Sheff is a veteran storyteller with the capacity of constructing a profound aura through his deep-rooted vernacular. “The Valley” kicks off the album with such vehemence. After listening to the opener, you may have an idea where the album is heading, but you’re going to be greatly mistaken. The follow-up track, “Piratess” is provocative and ominous. The grand finale track, “The Rise” (which differs a lot from the other songs) is a marvelous, sensitively elevated, and deeply harrowing piece of music that is the perfect fitting cap to one of the strongest albums of the year. While some tracks have a more vibrant tone, the true gems are the ones that are deliberately paced that place you on an emotional rollercoaster unlike anything you’ve experienced. You’ll quickly learn that Okkervil River is not your cookie-cutter indie band of the week. There is nothing generic or derivative about their expanding, poignant, and passionate sound.
Although violence is at the forefront of their lyrical imagery, there is still tenderness in the nature of their music. Ambiguity and elusiveness hover above the stories being told and everything you hear on the album is a breath of fresh air in a music society rapidly becoming stale and stagnant. “I Am Very Far” is a journey you should not hesitate embarking on. It may seem to appear a tricky one to navigate through at first glimpse, but once you let yourself take that leap of faith, you’ll end up realizing just how incredible it all was once you come to your destination. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself yearning to take another trip immediately afterward.
Key Tracks: “Piratess”, “Hanging From A Hit”, “Your Past Life As A Blast”, “The Rise”
Grade: 8.6 out of 10
Published on May 14, 2011 by Mountain Views News
http://mtnviewsnews.com/v05/htm/n20/p09.htm
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