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Product details
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Track Listings
| 1. Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe |
| 2. Unless It's Kicks |
| 3. Hand To Take Hold Of The Scene |
| 4. Savannah Smiles |
| 5. Plus Ones |
| 6. Girl In Port |
| 7. You Can't Hold The Hand Of A Rock 'n' Roll Man |
| 8. Title Track |
| 9. John Allyn Smith Sails |
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Some bands recycle their sound from album to album, until they implode into a creative vacuum.
And some bands refine, rework and polish their talent, turning out increasingly brilliant, full-blown music. Fortunately Okkervil River fits into the second category, amping up the sound of their previous opus "Black Sheep Boy" and giving it a rollicking, lovable rock sound... without losing the freakfolk/alt-country edge.
It opens with a tight little riff, and Will Sheff moaning, "It's just a bad movie, where there's no crying... It's just a life story, so there's no climax/No more new territory, so pull away the IMAX." It unfolds into a blazing, thumping, piano-riddled rock song that sweeps the listener in its wake, just before letting you drop into quiet interludes.
So what's it about? Basically, about a person who sees their life as a movie, but is being told that it isn't all about them: "No fade in: film begins on a kid in the big city/And no cut to a costly parade -- that's for him only!/No dissolve to a sliver of grey -- that's his new lady!".
It's a strong start, and it's a good springboard to what comes next: sizzling rockers, bouncy indiepop flavoured with horns, plinky piano and "doo-doo!" vocals, smooth twinkling ballads, and rollicking alt-country. It doesn't sound that cohesive, but the songs do mesh well -- they all have a wistful, expansive quality that seems to spill over their edges.
Lots of people encountered Okkervil River by their 2005 album "Black Sheep Boy," but "The Stage Names" just evolves and expands the same kind of music. It's a bit less angular, a little more introspective, and a lot catchier -- it hasn't gotten any less poignant, but the melodies are rollicking fun.
They embrace the rock'n'roll with lots of driving riffs and great drumming, but the few songs when they don't do much else -- like "Unless It's Kicks" -- are a bit ordinary. The songs really shine when the core instruments are mingled with others: sweeping violins, xylophone, maracas, horns, plinky piano and a ticking clock, all wound around the guitar and drums like coloured ribbons.
And Sheff's voice is one you either love or hate -- either you'll hate it for being so waily, or love it for its passion. And the man knows how to pen beautiful songs ("I am all out of love... and not above letting a love song disappear/before it's written"), full of jumbled symbolism, painful loneliness, and jagged imagery ("She rises up like a yawn/grips my heart like a claw/splits apart like a jaw, like an eye...")
"The Stage Names" is a new high for Okkervil River -- brilliantly expansive alt-freakcountry songs, with bittersweet songwriting and fun tunes. Brilliant.
And some bands refine, rework and polish their talent, turning out increasingly brilliant, full-blown music. Fortunately Okkervil River fits into the second category, amping up the sound of their previous opus "Black Sheep Boy" and giving it a rollicking, lovable rock sound... without losing the freakfolk/alt-country edge.
It opens with a tight little riff, and Will Sheff moaning, "It's just a bad movie, where there's no crying... It's just a life story, so there's no climax/No more new territory, so pull away the IMAX." It unfolds into a blazing, thumping, piano-riddled rock song that sweeps the listener in its wake, just before letting you drop into quiet interludes.
So what's it about? Basically, about a person who sees their life as a movie, but is being told that it isn't all about them: "No fade in: film begins on a kid in the big city/And no cut to a costly parade -- that's for him only!/No dissolve to a sliver of grey -- that's his new lady!".
It's a strong start, and it's a good springboard to what comes next: sizzling rockers, bouncy indiepop flavoured with horns, plinky piano and "doo-doo!" vocals, smooth twinkling ballads, and rollicking alt-country. It doesn't sound that cohesive, but the songs do mesh well -- they all have a wistful, expansive quality that seems to spill over their edges.
Lots of people encountered Okkervil River by their 2005 album "Black Sheep Boy," but "The Stage Names" just evolves and expands the same kind of music. It's a bit less angular, a little more introspective, and a lot catchier -- it hasn't gotten any less poignant, but the melodies are rollicking fun.
They embrace the rock'n'roll with lots of driving riffs and great drumming, but the few songs when they don't do much else -- like "Unless It's Kicks" -- are a bit ordinary. The songs really shine when the core instruments are mingled with others: sweeping violins, xylophone, maracas, horns, plinky piano and a ticking clock, all wound around the guitar and drums like coloured ribbons.
And Sheff's voice is one you either love or hate -- either you'll hate it for being so waily, or love it for its passion. And the man knows how to pen beautiful songs ("I am all out of love... and not above letting a love song disappear/before it's written"), full of jumbled symbolism, painful loneliness, and jagged imagery ("She rises up like a yawn/grips my heart like a claw/splits apart like a jaw, like an eye...")
"The Stage Names" is a new high for Okkervil River -- brilliantly expansive alt-freakcountry songs, with bittersweet songwriting and fun tunes. Brilliant.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is one of my all time favourite albums and so I felt I had to write a review. Will Sheff and co not only leads, writes the songs but does the art too and the cover from this actually matches `The Stand Ins'.
Where to begin, this was the first album in a long while that I felt did not have a single bad track on it, although they are all stand out tracks, my least fave is `Savannah Smiles' but it is still miles better than most contemporary work.
The rest of the album is genius from start to finish, from the rocky up beat `Unless it's kicks' to the ballad beauty of live favourite -`Girl in Port'. All of the songs tell a tale that is beautifully constructed and often with poetic imagery that belies the youth of Mr Sheff. The music is excellent with every track having its own identity and yet a cohesive binding giving this album a clear personality. A strength mentioned elsewhere that while Sheff and Co always keep one foot placed firmly in Americana, they seem to stamp an identity on everything they do.
If I had to take only two records to live on a desert island this would be one of them, but I am still working on number two, but you would not go far wrong with another Okkervil classic - `Down the river of golden dreams'.
Down the River of Golden Dreams
Where to begin, this was the first album in a long while that I felt did not have a single bad track on it, although they are all stand out tracks, my least fave is `Savannah Smiles' but it is still miles better than most contemporary work.
The rest of the album is genius from start to finish, from the rocky up beat `Unless it's kicks' to the ballad beauty of live favourite -`Girl in Port'. All of the songs tell a tale that is beautifully constructed and often with poetic imagery that belies the youth of Mr Sheff. The music is excellent with every track having its own identity and yet a cohesive binding giving this album a clear personality. A strength mentioned elsewhere that while Sheff and Co always keep one foot placed firmly in Americana, they seem to stamp an identity on everything they do.
If I had to take only two records to live on a desert island this would be one of them, but I am still working on number two, but you would not go far wrong with another Okkervil classic - `Down the river of golden dreams'.
Down the River of Golden Dreams
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Yep - this band have matured perfectly, this time like a nurtured Pinot Noir.
If you are one of those people that always thought OR were a band of 'almost but not quite', then let me assure you 'quite' has most definitely arrived. In abundance.
This is a very accomplished album indeed. Cleverly crafted, musically layered & complex, and wonderfully written (as always) and performed. The result is a rich exciting, and thoroughly enjoyable experience from start to finish - no fillers to be found here. And let me not forget great beauty too (Girl in Port).
This is (and no doubt will be) considered OR's best album. And rightfully so.
Long long long may this highly underrated band continue in this vein. As this has left me hungry for more. Much more.
"Let fall your soft and swaying skirt /
let fall your shoes /
let fall your shirt /
I'm not the ladykilling sort /
enough to hurt a girl in port"
Wonderful stuff and highly, HIGHLY recommended for the music enthusiast.
If you are one of those people that always thought OR were a band of 'almost but not quite', then let me assure you 'quite' has most definitely arrived. In abundance.
This is a very accomplished album indeed. Cleverly crafted, musically layered & complex, and wonderfully written (as always) and performed. The result is a rich exciting, and thoroughly enjoyable experience from start to finish - no fillers to be found here. And let me not forget great beauty too (Girl in Port).
This is (and no doubt will be) considered OR's best album. And rightfully so.
Long long long may this highly underrated band continue in this vein. As this has left me hungry for more. Much more.
"Let fall your soft and swaying skirt /
let fall your shoes /
let fall your shirt /
I'm not the ladykilling sort /
enough to hurt a girl in port"
Wonderful stuff and highly, HIGHLY recommended for the music enthusiast.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Masterpiece...but not even their finest hour...
This album is probably one of the finest records ever released but it is still not quite as good as Black Sheep Boy (that tells you how good that album is!). Read more
Published on 26 April 2010 by M. J. Loveridge
Fabulous
This CD starts interestingly then just gets better, revealing the essence that makes Okkervil River one of the best bands for decades.
Published on 17 Mar 2009 by Don Spence
Best I have heard in ages
I had this album on my list of reccommendations for ages but was initially put off by the very strange name and weird album artwork - well dont be! Read more
Published on 8 May 2008 by Mr. D. Thompson
Takes itself a bit seriously
I read the other reviews, and I can tell that we just have different tastes. I found this album somewhat overblown, and sentimental. Read more
Published on 21 Mar 2008 by Collins End Music Club
Superb stuff from Okkervil River, even if it isn't their finest moment
What makes 'The Stage Names', Okkervil River's fourth studio album such a fantastic listen is their approach - they have an organic, honest integrity, rather like Arcade Fire, and... Read more
Published on 17 Feb 2008 by A. Sweeney
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