Anyone have the new Okkervil River - The Stage Names? [Archive] - Audio & Video Forums

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Snowbunny
08-12-2007, 12:43 PM
Sounds good if you put stock in the Pitchfork reviews:

As artistically unsurpassable as Black Sheep Boy seemed in 2005, The Stage Names marks Okkervil River's most emotionally devastating record yet, and without doubt one of the year's best.

I'll be getting it for sure, but it would be nice to hear some feedback from Okkervil fans if anyone has it.

I think I can do it.... a post with no smilies... reaching for the submit button....

Davey
08-12-2007, 01:05 PM
I think I can do it....:) a post with no smilies...:) reaching for the submit button....:) :)

Hey Snowbuns! Not me, no new Okkervil here, but fans should also check out the latest release from Shearwater called Palo Santo, released last year but then they signed to Matador this year and reissued it in a deluxe 2-CD or 2-LP package with 5 of the songs re-recorded. Very cool record ... they started out kind of an Okkervil side project, but now Sheff is only in the background, and Meiburg is the main guy, and this really is something special.

http://www.treblezine.com/reviews/1992.html

Snowbunny
08-12-2007, 01:30 PM
Hey Davey,

Is it true, did Monkey really go to heaven? (Here's where I would normally put a sad face, but I'm in a 12 step program for smilie abusers so I won't.)

Funny, you should mention Shearwater! I was just listening to them on Last.FM since it mentioned they were a band similar to - well Okkervil River obviously! I'm supposed to be able to download some free mp3's but I get an error message.

I did listen on line though, and I will definitely put them on my wish list. Or should I say definately? I notice that most people spell it that way, so I'm starting to think maybe I've been wrong all along. Hehehe.

Any other brilliant new music in your player lately, Davey? I think I'll go snoop on your homepage in case you're holding out. no smiley, no smiley...

Snowie



:)

Hey Snowbuns! Not me, no new Okkervil here, but fans should also check out the latest release from Shearwater called Palo Santo, released last year but then they signed to Matador this year and reissued it in a deluxe 2-CD or 2-LP package with 5 of the songs re-recorded. Very cool record ... they started out kind of an Okkervil side project, but now Sheff is only in the background, and Meiburg is the main guy, and this really is something special.

http://www.treblezine.com/reviews/1992.html

Slosh
08-12-2007, 02:04 PM
I got it but I haven't listened yet. Lot of good that does you. Want a preview?

Davey
08-12-2007, 02:05 PM
Hey Davey, Is it true, did Monkey really go to heaven?

Yea, sad about the Monkey, and more bad news - underwater guy got squished by 10 million pounds of New York sludge. My homepage is hopelessly out of date too, nothing from this year except a comp. Electrelane, The National, Bird, Blonde Redhead, Spoon, Shearwater, that's about it for me. Richard Buckner "Meadow" from last year is real nice, playing right now, always makes me feel good. Lot's of Morphine too. Kind of old, but Good, Cure for Pain, and Yes are great. Viva Last Blues. There's a Star Above the Manger Tonight. The Blackened Air. Blush Music. Just the usual Davey stuff.

Snowbunny
08-12-2007, 02:14 PM
I got it but I haven't listened yet. Lot of good that does you. Want a preview?

As if you'd trust me to download it in time. Pshawwww!

That'd be a great big YES PLEASE!

Slosh
08-12-2007, 02:18 PM
As if you'd trust me to download it in time. Pshawwww!

That'd be a great big YES PLEASE!Alright, give me 30 minutes and check your PM :)

Snowbunny
08-12-2007, 02:19 PM
Yea, sad about the Monkey, and more bad news - underwater guy got squished by 10 million pounds of New York sludge. My homepage is hopelessly out of date too, nothing from this year except a comp. Electrelane, The National, Bird, Blonde Redhead, Spoon, Shearwater, that's about it for me. Richard Buckner "Meadow" from last year is real nice, playing right now, always makes me feel good. Lot's of Morphine too. Kind of old, but Good, Cure for Pain, and Yes are great. Viva Last Blues. There's a Star Above the Manger Tonight. The Blackened Air. Blush Music. Just the usual Davey stuff.

Poor Monkeybones! Did you bury him out back under the apple tree? Oh well, as long as Davey is alive and well.

How can your page be hopelessly out of date? That would mean there is no hope of you updating it. What's the matter, Davey? Forgot the password or something? No apologies!

I did skim a little off the surface of your best of lists! I can not believe I don't have the latest Sparklehorse! I take it its good if it made your top 12 list. (Always gotta be unique, dontcha?)

Snowie

Snowbunny
08-12-2007, 02:20 PM
Alright, give me 30 minutes and check your PM :)

I'm getting a little long in the tooth Sloshy. I don't think I can spare 30 minutes.

Slosh
08-12-2007, 02:39 PM
I'm getting a little long in the tooth Sloshy. I don't think I can spare 30 minutes.I don't like quickies all that much. The whole guilt thing, ya know ;)

So now that you mention it virgin spin:

Snowbunny
08-12-2007, 02:46 PM
I don't like quickies all that much. The whole guilt thing, ya know ;)

So now that you mention it virgin spin:

Must not use smilie!

Thank you, Sloshyone. Does that mean I'm getting sloppy seconds? Did you listen while you - what did you do? Upload it?

Maybe we can have have simultaneous reviews? Thanks, for real!

Snowie

Snowbunny
08-12-2007, 02:48 PM
Where is it????

And where did Davey go? This is the most action this message board has seen in years.

Slosh
08-12-2007, 02:54 PM
Where is it????

And where did Davey go? This is the most action this message board has seen in years.Three more minutes. Oh, and you're supposed to say aren't you finished yet? Asking, "What are you doing?" is a real confidence killer :o

ps - leave poor Davey out of this :)

Snowbunny
08-12-2007, 03:23 PM
Three more minutes. Oh, and you're supposed to say aren't you finished yet? Asking, "What are you doing?" is a real confidence killer :o

ps - leave poor Davey out of this :)

Hehehehehe...I will make a note of that! The things a girl learns on a music message board. LOL!

Got it. Thanks, Sloshie!

Davey
08-12-2007, 04:25 PM
And where did Davey go?

ps - leave poor Davey out of this :)
Don't mind me, I'm just watching. Slipped out to get some stuff at the store. Pork chops and beer and bananas and some green things. Might've been some ice cream too. And a coupla corn cobs. But now back to Richard Buckner, Meadow, and a Bass Ale. Love this one, listened to it tons in the last few months, but always sounds good. "Window" playing right now, just classic Buckner. Rocking, passionate, nervous, full of energy, the desire, the buildup, the release. Leaving unanswered the age old question: is light a wave or a particle? Oh, wait, no, not that one. The one about what's better, the thrill of anticipation, or the post-sex glow?

Snowbunny
08-12-2007, 04:43 PM
Don't mind me, I'm just watching. Slipped out to get some stuff at the store. Pork chops and beer and bananas and some green things. Might've been some ice cream too. And a coupla corn cobs. But now back to Richard Buckner, Meadow, and a Bass Ale. Love this one, listened to it tons in the last few months, but always sounds good. "Window" playing right now, just classic Buckner. Rocking, passionate, nervous, full of energy, the desire, the buildup, the release. Leaving unanswered the age old question: is light a wave or a particle? Oh, wait, no, not that one. The one about what's better, the thrill of anticipation, or the post-sex glow?

Geez, Davey. You must have got the limited edition version of that CD. I looked on line and there wasn't any of that stuff on the one on Amazon.

But I was encouraged by the Also Bought list which included Lucinda, Decembrists, Son Volt and Sparklehorse. And then some aberrant fan bought something called Gob Iron - Death Songs for the Living. Okay, I just gotta do it - :confused5:?

Every recovery program includes a relapse stage. :wink5:

Yummm... green things! My favourite!

Davey
08-12-2007, 04:44 PM
Asking, "What are you doing?" is a real confidence killer
Yea, I'll say, but just be glad she didn't ask "Where is it????"

:blush2:

Snowbunny
08-12-2007, 04:50 PM
Yea, I'll say, but just be glad she didn't ask "Where is it????"

:blush2:

Can't be worse than "Is it in yet?" :blush2:

Hey Sloshy?

For some reason since I unzipped The Stage Names there's a background sound of rushing water on my computer. I closed down my listening program and it was still there if I turned the sound on.

So I put on Tom Waits - Mule Variations since there are so many weird sounds it fits right in.

What the heck do you think it is?

Davey
08-12-2007, 04:59 PM
Geez, Davey. You must have got the limited edition version of that CD. I looked on line and there wasn't any of that stuff on the one on Amazon.
Yea, I had to pay a little extra for the post-sex glow, but it was worth it. That and the pork chops. I think tentoze is a big Gob Iron fan. Or was that Iron and Wine? Ya know, after a few of these British ales, it all gets kinda blurry. Is a gob anything like a tupelo? If so, I might want one of those too.

Snowbunny
08-12-2007, 05:04 PM
Yea, I had to pay a little extra for the post-sex glow, but it was worth it. That and the pork chops. I think tentoze is a big Gob Iron fan. Or was that Iron and Wine? Ya know, after a few of these British ales, it all gets kinda blurry. Is a gob anything like a tupelo? If so, I might want one of those too.

Those British ale are the full meal deal, Davey. Are you sure you're gonna have room for that juicy pork chop? I don't know about gob and tupelo, but there's a big marble called a cob and some guys wear a tuxedo. That any help?

Still can't figure out the rushing water sound though. :confused5:

Darn Sloshy! Love em and leave em kinda guy, isn't he?

Rae
08-12-2007, 05:05 PM
But now back to Richard Buckner, Meadow, and a Bass Ale. Love this one, listened to it tons in the last few months, but always sounds good. "Window" playing right now, just classic Buckner. Rocking, passionate, nervous, full of energy, the desire, the buildup, the release. Leaving unanswered the age old question: is light a wave or a particle? Oh, wait, no, not that one. The one about what's better, the thrill of anticipation, or the post-sex glow?

Hey, I knew that if I actually looked in this thread there'd be something I could comment on. I've been playing the **** out of that Buckner since it came out last year as well. "Lucky" is really my jam. I don't know how I didn't get way into him the first time I heard him on yr Decade of Alt-Country comp lo those many years ago but it somehow fell by the wayside until I saw him play a hypnotic double-bill with Eric Bachmann early last year. I believe he had Doug Gillard as his sideman and the two of them played unaccompanied-- it ended up being quite the effects-pedal workout. Ever since then I've just been stuck on the new one-- "when's it gonna ha-a-pp-uhn..." Awesome stuff.

~Rae

Snowbunny
08-12-2007, 05:10 PM
Hey, I knew that if I actually looked in this thread there'd be something I could comment on. I've been playing the **** out of that Buckner since it came out last year as well. "Lucky" is really my jam. I don't know how I didn't get way into him the first time I heard him on yr Decade of Alt-Country comp lo those many years ago but it somehow fell by the wayside until I saw him play a hypnotic double-bill with Eric Bachmann early last year. I believe he had Doug Gillard as his sideman and the two of them played unaccompanied-- it ended up being quite the effects-pedal workout. Ever since then I've just been stuck on the new one-- "when's it gonna ha-a-pp-uhn..." Awesome stuff.

~Rae

Glad to see your unscathed after the bridge incident, Rae. I actually thought of you right away, even looked at Google map to see how close you were to the bridge. I just feel like such a girl always worrying that something has happened to someone we know. I remember being on pins and needles after 9/11 when we didn't hear from Jay right away.

Guess I need to check out that Buckner. Did you get the same special limited edition that Davey got?

tentoze
08-13-2007, 04:41 AM
Yea, I had to pay a little extra for the post-sex glow, but it was worth it. That and the pork chops. I think tentoze is a big Gob Iron fan. Or was that Iron and Wine? Ya know, after a few of these British ales, it all gets kinda blurry. Is a gob anything like a tupelo? If so, I might want one of those too.

Gobsows, actually, at least until Sam Beam learns to breathe and sing in the same stanza.

But, seriously, on topic, I haven't pulled the trigger on the new Okkervil yet- something I read about migrating to power pop got me a little concerned.

Snowbunny
08-13-2007, 06:55 AM
Gobsows, actually, at least until Sam Beam learns to breathe and sing in the same stanza.

But, seriously, on topic, I haven't pulled the trigger on the new Okkervil yet- something I read about migrating to power pop got me a little concerned.

I like it so far, toze I wouldn't be put off by a power pop description. They still have that alt-country flavour, but it is a little harder edged than there past stuff. See if you can listen to Our Life is Not a Movie, Maybe on line. I suspect you'll like it. I think they sampled it on Last.fm.

Sounds way better without the rushing water in the background. :rolleyes:

Davey
08-13-2007, 07:40 AM
Gobsows, actually, at least until Sam Beam learns to breathe and sing in the same stanza.
What's a gobsows? Hope it's not some kind of pig fetish, because we don't tolerate talk like that around here! This is a family board. Thought maybe you'd heard the Gob Iron, being a big Jay Farrar fan. Or did my connect the dots post not connect? Gob > Tupelo ... Uncle Tupelo? Ya know, Jay Farrar? Is this thing even turned on? His records kinda all tend to sound the same to me, but they are usually pretty high quality. Didn't read too much about this Gob Iron collab last year, he seems to always be doing something on his own, or like this, or the new Son Volt group.

Davey
08-13-2007, 08:02 AM
Hey, I knew that if I actually looked in this thread there'd be something I could comment on.
Yep, I try to keep it a diverse and inclusive environment here, making room for even those with the same crappy taste as me. Red Sea, Black Sea is my jam right now, but I don't really even know what that means :)

And bathed in this light,
we will swim again
From the high desert's walls
to the seas, red and black

http://www.matadorrecords.com/mpeg/shearwater/shearwater_red_sea_black_sea.mp3

tentoze
08-13-2007, 08:53 AM
Actually, that Gob Iron eluded me altogether until right now- I'm hopelessly out of touch with new releases anymore, it seems. But it looks like something I need.

And, SB, I imagine I'll end up ordering the Okkervil regardless. Sheff would have to take a hard 270 degree turn into Electronica or Death Metal before I'd be ready to give up on him.

Slosh
08-13-2007, 12:42 PM
Can't be worse than "Is it in yet?" :blush2:

Hey Sloshy?

For some reason since I unzipped The Stage Names there's a background sound of rushing water on my computer. I closed down my listening program and it was still there if I turned the sound on.

So I put on Tom Waits - Mule Variations since there are so many weird sounds it fits right in.

What the heck do you think it is?Okkervil River, of course. :D
Where is it?Uh, Austin:confused:

Snowbunny
08-14-2007, 02:12 PM
Okkervil River, of course. :D Uh, Austin:confused:

I'm willing to go out on a limb and say that this is the best thing Okkervil River has ever produced and that this is best Will Sheff's vocals have ever sounded. May very well make my favourite albums of the year list. If I bothered to keep one. I'm just not anal like that. :smilewinkgrin:

This album makes me very happy. I must find a "real" copy so I can follow along with the excellent lyrics. There are some interesting back-stories to this so-called autobiographical album. Sheff has had more than his fair share of heart-ache, which is a good thing when inspires him to produce such a great lyrical narrative.

I heartily recommend it, even to folks who find OR too slow or somber. If you only heard the first two tracks on the CD, you might never guess it was Okkervil River.

Thank you for the preview, Sloshy. And the lesson in geography... :rolleyes:

Slosh
08-14-2007, 03:13 PM
Too much music. I'm moving on to this:

Slosh
08-14-2007, 03:15 PM
...and Future Of The Left - Curses (ex-McLusky) RAWK!!!

Snowbunny
08-14-2007, 03:26 PM
...and Future Of The Left - Curses (ex-McLusky) RAWK!!!

NIce cover! What's the ex-McLuskey all about?

Slosh
08-15-2007, 12:40 PM
NIce cover! What's the ex-McLusky all about?
McLusky is no more, but the active ingredient (Falkous) is there. Not Snowbunny tunes me thinks but for McLusky fans it's everything you'd hoped it would be.

So much 2007 music out there I still need to get to know better. For example, NP:

Slosh
08-15-2007, 01:10 PM
I think I'm gonna try me some Meadow. This will be my first Richard Buckner rec. Good place to jump in? I'm always on the lookout for some quality alt-country.

While I'm at it I may as well try to find that Gob Iron thingie too.

Thread delivers (I hope :) )

Davey
08-16-2007, 09:14 AM
I think I'm gonna try me some Meadow. This will be my first Richard Buckner rec. Good place to jump in? I'm always on the lookout for some quality alt-country.

While I'm at it I may as well try to find that Gob Iron thingie too.

Thread delivers (I hope :) )

I have three Buckner records, the first two, and this last one, and like them all a lot. Bloomed and Devotion + Doubt are both great, with maybe that second one getting the nod for the more fleshed out sound. He's put out quite a bit of stuff in between, but Meadow seems to pick up where I left off, and like Rae, I've been playing the crap out of it. Just a really fine CD. Not much country in in, but it rocks pretty good at times, good lyrics, great playing, and that voice. Mastered too loud, but not to the point of wreckage, only to the point of me knowing that it would sound much better if more sense was employed and that great playing was placed better in the mix, and allowed to spread out, instead of being compressed and congested. Same complaint I have about almost all rock, so don't let that deter you. If you find a copy of Bloomed on Glitterhouse without the 5 bonus tracks, the original 1993 release in Europe, not the reissue/remaster, grab it. After he was so critically acclaimed with the second album, I think Ryko picked up the debut in the US since it had fallen oop by the little label it was on here, Deja Disc, and remastered it and dolled it up some with some demo tracks not even from those sessions. Still great stuff, with Lloyd Maines doing the production and playing a lot of the instruments with Buckley, but they did master it pretty loud. I used the remaster on the Decade of Alt-Country comp, and can't remember if I turned it down or not, but remember it being louder than a lot of the stuff on there, but since picked up a used Glitterhouse version, and that's the one for me.

But you can't go wrong with Meadow, easy to find on the cheap too. Love it. You'll want more, cause this thread does deliver, so then you can heed the above :)

http://www.acousticmusic.com/fame/p00306.htm

Slosh
08-16-2007, 03:57 PM
Thanks for the push, Davey. That Buckner sounds pretty good but yet again I've been sidetracked. :)

NP:

Davey
08-16-2007, 05:10 PM
Thanks for the push, Davey. That Buckner sounds pretty good but yet again I've been sidetracked. :)
Hey, it's not Sept 11 yet! Looking forward to that one bigtime too, so watch the spoiler talk, buddy :)

Sept 11 is the new Joe Henry too.

Slosh
08-21-2007, 03:10 PM
Hey, it's not Sept 11 yet! Sept 11 is the new Joe Henry too.pfft!

NP: (and FLAC at that :) )

Davey
08-25-2007, 01:52 PM
I have three Buckner records, the first two, and this last one, and like them all a lot. Bloomed and Devotion + Doubt are both great, with maybe that second one getting the nod for the more fleshed out sound.
I've been listening a bunch to those first two for the last week, hard to listen to anything else once I get started, so thought I'd add a few more words, cause you know I'm usually a man of few words ...

First off, I really didn't do justice to what a ****in' great CD is that original release of Bloomed! Man, it does sound nice. But just a minor correction, mine is actually the 1995 DejaDisc US release, not the Glitterhouse Euro release, although I imagine they are the same. The Glitterhouse is more readily available now. Favorite song: Wow, that's tough, maybe the "Blue and Wonder" opener, or the "Six Years" I used on the Decade of Alt-Country comp, or "Gauzy Dress in the Sun" which might be the indirect title track. No, probably the beautiful "Mud" with the mandolin and dobro ... "And Christ, how this life from mud to miracle, is just the prettiest little burden, isn't it?"

Second, Devotion + Doubt is almost as good in my mind, his major label debut on MCA, recorded down in Tuscon at Wavelab with Howe Gelb and the Calexico boys, and guitarist extraordinaire Mark Ribot and others. Great record, nice sound. It even opens with a song called "Pull" that sounds kinda like ol' Howe Gelb and his Giant Sand, since they do have a certain sympatico, but then moves off decidedly into more twangy Buckner territory for the next song. Pretty diverse romp through the alt-country backwoods on this one, even one heartfelt a cappela song, just Buckner laid bare. Favorite: A Goodbye Rye

Snowbunny
08-25-2007, 03:02 PM
I've been listening a bunch to those first two for the last week, hard to listen to anything else once I get started, so thought I'd add a few more words, cause you know I'm usually a man of few words ...

First off, I really didn't do justice to what a ****in' great CD is that original release of Bloomed! Man, it does sound nice. But just a minor correction, mine is actually the 1995 DejaDisc US release, not the Glitterhouse Euro release, although I imagine they are the same. The Glitterhouse is more readily available now. Favorite song: Wow, that's tough, maybe the "Blue and Wonder" opener, or the "Six Years" I used on the Decade of Alt-Country comp, or "Gauzy Dress in the Sun" which might be the indirect title track. No, probably the beautiful "Mud" with the mandolin and dobro ... "And Christ, how this life from mud to miracle, is just the prettiest little burden, isn't it?"

Second, Devotion + Doubt is almost as good in my mind, his major label debut on MCA, recorded down in Tuscon at Wavelab with Howe Gelb and the Calexico boys, and guitarist extraordinaire Mark Ribot and others. Great record, nice sound. It even opens with a song called "Pull" that sounds kinda like ol' Howe Gelb and his Giant Sand, since they do have a certain sympatico, but then moves off decidedly into more twangy Buckner territory for the next song. Pretty diverse romp through the alt-country backwoods on this one, even one heartfelt a cappela song, just Buckner laid bare. Favorite: A Goodbye Rye

And this is relevant in an Okkervil River thread how?
:smilewinkgrin:

Davey
08-25-2007, 04:50 PM
And this is relevant in an Okkervil River thread how?
:smilewinkgrin:
Ah c'mon, your thread obviously needed a boost, I mean you haven't even beat out the Fall Girl's new receiver thread yet! Just doing my little part to keep RR alive :skep:

Snowbunny
08-26-2007, 10:17 PM
Ah c'mon, your thread obviously needed a boost, I mean you haven't even beat out the Fall Girl's new receiver thread yet! Just doing my little part to keep RR alive :skep:

Alright! I won't spank you for hijacking my thread.

But... I will take away a reputation point! [/evil laugh]

Have you listened to The Stage Tapes yet?

Davey
08-27-2007, 09:13 AM
Have you listened to The Stage Tapes yet?
No, but to be honest I never really got into the last one so probably won't. Just got the Three Mile Pilot "Songs From An Old Town We Once Knew" compilation from a few years ago. Bunch of singles and unreleased stuff before Pall and Tobias and Armistead split into BHP and Pinback. Some real gems scattered over the two CDs, including "In This Town I Awaken" that just played, and the long organ-driven "Jadulastan Requiem" that just got started and stretches out over almost 12 minutes to open the second disc, with the legendary San Diego weirdo Jim French on some strange self-made skronky horn instrument called the svegl. Very cool, these guys have sure made a ton of music over the years.

Yea, I know, still nothing to do with your Okkervil River, but see, I bumped you quite a ways past FA's receiver thread now :crazy:

Davey
01-26-2009, 01:51 PM
But now back to Richard Buckner, Meadow, and a Bass Ale. Love this one, listened to it tons in the last few months, but always sounds good. "Window" playing right now, just classic Buckner. Rocking, passionate, nervous, full of energy, the desire, the buildup, the release. Leaving unanswered the age old question: is light a wave or a particle? Oh, wait, no, not that one. The one about what's better, the thrill of anticipation, or the post-sex glow?
Hey, I knew that if I actually looked in this thread there'd be something I could comment on. I've been playing the **** out of that Buckner since it came out last year as well. "Lucky" is really my jam. I don't know how I didn't get way into him the first time I heard him on yr Decade of Alt-Country comp lo those many years ago but it somehow fell by the wayside until I saw him play a hypnotic double-bill with Eric Bachmann early last year. I believe he had Doug Gillard as his sideman and the two of them played unaccompanied-- it ended up being quite the effects-pedal workout. Ever since then I've just been stuck on the new one-- "when's it gonna ha-a-pp-uhn..." Awesome stuff.

~Rae

Still a great listen, Buckner and Meadow. Maybe not up there with the classic Devotion + Doubt, but my kind of music, still the same. Some of my favorite people in this thread too :)