Okkervil River – I Am Very Far (Jagjaguwar)
There are several obstacles that prevent me from easily reviewing a new Okkervil River record. It’s not as simple as them being in my top ten favorite contemporary recording artists. It’s not a jaded relationship where I used to absolutely adore the group and feel their current output doesn’t do their back catalog justice. It’s primarily that since my discovery of Okkervil River in my early twenties, their music has subsequently associated itself with particular memories. When anything from Black Sheep Boy or The Stage Names comes to mind, chances are that I recall some intangible moment from a past relationship.
Okkervil River – I Am Very Far (Jagjaguwar)
There are several obstacles that prevent me from easily reviewing a new Okkervil River record. It’s not as simple as them being in my top ten favorite contemporary recording artists. It’s not a jaded relationship where I used to absolutely adore the group and feel their current output doesn’t do their back catalog justice. It’s primarily that since my discovery of Okkervil River in my early twenties, their music has subsequently associated itself with particular memories. When anything from Black Sheep Boy or The Stage Names comes to mind, chances are that I recall some intangible moment from a past relationship.
After the dual doses of celebrity status and ruin that were covered in The Stage Names and The Stand-Ins, the group had a lot to consider for a follow-up. These two releases had put Okkervil River on the map; they were entering the late night talk show circuits and expanding the markets in which they toured. The Stand-Ins was also the last release to feature long-time member Jonathan Meiburg (who decided to focus his energies on his other group, Shearwater). In light of this development, singer-songwriter and founding member Will Sheff decided to make their new record, I Am Very Far, more to his liking, as opposed to what fans may have expected. So it comes as no surprise that the band decided to continue on their path of developing uncompromised indie rock with it’s heart bound to both the anti-folk movement and the allure of rock-n-roll’s past.
I Am Very Far is full of clever production tricks. Many of the vocal tracks were recorded while Sheff wandered about an open studio. Many of the jarring noises found throughout are the result of the group propelling file cabinets across the room, as well as discovering the percussive qualities of torn duct tape. Perhaps the inspiration to record in this manner came from the group’s experiences recording with the legendary Roky Erickson for his 2010 album True Love Cast Out All Evil, but I also believe that Okkervil River needed a dynamic change. That is perhaps why I Am Very Far is their most challenging record to date, and one that may not gain the accolades it deserves until many years have passed.
On this record, Okkervil River conjures up building melodies that revolve around a rotating cascade of noise and blissful resonance. On “Piratess,” the initial bass movements set the groove, as Sheff’s voice slurs and falters. As the song hits its stride, his voice builds in confidence and the bizarre chord progression in the chorus feels more at home. Despite all the despair found on this record, there are still moments in which you can settle into the idea of making it through alive. “Your Past Life As A Blast” and “Wake and Be Fine” are intriguing compositions, the lyrics of which could be considered more simplistic than what the band has accomplished in the past. Yet they may be the most positive and uplifting sentiments Okkervil River, who aren’t really known for their positivity, have ever presented in chorus form. “The Valley” and “The Rise” incorporate a dual vocal technique that is used more to complicate the melody than to develop harmonies with the lead vocal. It’s never really been done this way on an Okkervil River record before, but then again, almost nothing about I Am Very Far has been.
I have a tendency to immediately attach myself to a record by this band, to listen to it continuously and break down every aspect ad nauseam. If I Am Very Far is an idea of what direction Okkervil River will be heading in the years to come, perhaps they are the challenging band that the independent music world needs. Here’s hoping that they will flourish due to their unique contributions to the genre.
