Okkervil River - The Stage Names

How many times have you heard the old adage, life seems like a movie? The answer most likely is, a lot.

Now how many musicians have attempted to describe their lives using the cinematic slant? This answer is more difficult. While a lot of musicians fancy themselves storytellers worthy of cinematic scope few achieve this lofty goal. Most musicians are missing the Van Morrison, Bruce Springsteen, or Neil Young gene needed to make this sort of album. Furthermore, there are few bands that could find the music to pair with these types of montages.

Enter the Austin based band Okkervil River and their new album The Stage Names. Their cinematic new album continues the bands meteoric rise by employing singer Will Sheff’s deft use of the English language and the band’s use of rock a la Ryan Adam’s backing band, The Cardinals.

In simpler terms, Okkervil River sounds like Billy Joel with Gerard Way (of My Chemical Romance) replacing Billy’s vocals except instead of sounding whiny when he sings. Will Sheff sounds like he’s been drinking with Ryan Adams. On second thought maybe there isn’t a simple way to describe them.

On their last full length album, the also spectacular, Black Sheep Boy, Sheff’s lyrics skewed towards dark, violent, even scary, “Sometimes the blood from real cuts/Feels real nice/When it’s really mine.” On this album the lyrics remain dark, but somehow manage to come off as more hopeful.

The first song, “Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe” is a strong candidate for my favorite cut from the album. The first lines of each verse set up the true to life story that needs no cipher merely time to appreciate “It’s just a bad movie, where there’s no crying,” “It’s just a life story, so there’s no climax.” I realize these aren’t the most uplifting sentiments, but paired with the music they seem less hopeless and more obstinate.

Much is made of Sheff’s literary degree, but if you stop to appreciate his use of the English language I’m sure you’ll agree it is correctly highlighted. “Plus Ones” is the best example of the combination of creativity and wit that makes Okkervil River’s lyrics special. The song references “99 Luftaballoons,” “TVC15” “50 Ways To Leave Your Lover,” and at least five others. The thought put into this song is indicative or the rest of the album and makes me dizzy. Just imagine writing a novel then trying to fit the novel into four minute songs or a 40 minute album.

The first thing I thought of when I heard “A Girl in Port” was Ryan Adams circa Cold Roses only instead of sounding earnest like Adams, Sheff’s voice injects measure of realism. This doesn’t always make for a pretty picture but it is a great example of the way Okkervil River sets themselves apart from other bands.

“John Allyn Smith Sails” is a sad, but poignant final track. It is an ode to the poet John Berryman aka John Smith. Berryman first onto the mainstream indie radar by way of The Hold Steady song “Stuck Between Stations.” Okkervil River’s version is quite different. Their song more directly lends Berryman a postmortem voice with subdued singing and blunt storytelling. This song is the best example of the albums duality. Throughout the versus the listener feels the parallels of hope and despair. In a wonderful musical transition the band and Sheff break into The Beach Boys’ “Sloop John B.” The song takes on a new memorable meaning in the modified context. “John Allyn Smith Sails” is a great way to end this album.

The album isn’t a concept in the traditional sense but acts as one within the current framework of music because it is first an album, then individual songs. In a recent interview, Sheff commented on the iPod nation saying, “When I was a kid, I’d listen to the same records over and over and over again, as if I was under a spell. The record would end and flip it over again, doing absolutely nothing, letting the music was over me. These days, with all the choice in the world, it’s hard for me find the attention span for a single album. I put my iPod on shuffle and skip impatiently to the next song before each one’s over. I don’t even know what I’m looking for.”

The Stage Names is not only compelling, it’s entertaining. Sheff may be trying to figure out what he’s looking for, but his musical wanderings have allowed us to find something we have been looking for - a good album.