Okkervil River are returning with their sixth full-length “I Am Very Far” for longtime home Jagjaguwar, and, at least with the case of newly unleashed “Wake and Be Fine,” the thing’s starting with a bang.
Will Sheff’s sounding unhinged (in the good way) on the track, available now for download via the rock band’s website for the price of your black heart your email address. It reminds me of Cursive frontman’s Tim Kasher’s fleshy and well-arranged solo projects, and even a little bit of the daunting growl that Conor Oberst used to nurture in his earlier years.
I don’t know why such a Saddle Creek blaze was set in my head about it, but maybe it has to do with the start and stop manner in which “I Am Very Far” was recorded: Sheff “opted for a series of short, high-intensity sessions with a larger band in various studios. Sessions would, at times, find over a dozen musicians performing live in a single room.” He apparently had a little fun throwing file cabinets around and recording that, too.
So pay attention to the percussion on “Wake and Be Fine, blaring in tandem with aux instruments like piano and a full horns section. This is a lush set, but it plays at 11 almost the whole time. Very freeing.
“I Am Very Far” is due May 10, with tracklist below.
The band has also announced extensive and some surprisingly big stops on tour, with killer openers like Titus Andronicus and Julianna Barwick.
[Check out the tracklist and tour dates after the jump…]
‘I Am Very Far’ Tracklist:
1). The Valley
2). Piratess
3). Rider
4). Lay Of the Last Survivor
5). White Shadow Waltz
6). We Need A Myth
7). Hanging From A Hit
8). Show Yourself
9). Your Past Life As A Blast
10). Wake And Be Fine
11). The Rise
Okkervil River 2011 European Tour:
5/16 – London, UK @ Heaven
5/18 – Berlin, Germany @ Kesselhaus
5/20 – Stockholm, Sweden @ Gota Kallare
5/21 – Hamburg, Germany @ Uebel & Gefaehrlich
5/22 – Amsterdam, Holland @ Paradiso (Indiestad Festival)
5/23 – Paris, France @ Maroquinerie
Okkervil River 2011 U.S. Tour:
3/16 – Austin, TX @ Red 7 (JAGJAGUWAR SXSW showcase)
3/18 – Austin, TX @ AntoneÂ’s (Billions SXSW showcase)
3/18 – Austin, TX @ Flamingo Cantina (Under the Radar SXSW party)
3/19 – Austin, TX @ Mohawk (MOG SXSW Showcase)
3/19 – Austin, TX @ Lustre Pearl (Filter/Dickies SXSW party)
4/30 – Dallas, TX @ Gexa Energy Pavilion (w/ Arcade Fire)
5/31 – Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse * #
6/01 – Carrboro, NC @ CatÂ’s Cradle * #
6/02 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club * #
6/03 – Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero Theatre * #
6/04 – New Haven, CT @ ToadÂ’s Place * #
6/07 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5 #
6/08 – Boston, MA @ Royale * #
6/09 – Buffalo, NY @ Town Ballroom * #
6/10 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre * #
6/11 – Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall * #
6/12 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue * #
6/14 – Omaha, NE @ Slowdown *
6/15 – Denver, CO @ The Bluebird Theater *
6/16 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge *
6/17 – Boise, ID @ Egyptian Theatre *
6/18 – Seattle, WA @ Neptune Theatre *
6/20 – Vancouver, BC @ The Vogue Theatre * &
6/21 – Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom * &
6/22 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fox Theater * &
6/23 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern * $
6/24 – San Diego, CA @ The Belly Up Tavern * $
6/25 – Tucson, AZ @ Rialto Theatre * $
6/28 – Lubbock, TX @ Jake’s * $
* w/ Titus Andronicus
# w/ Future Islands
& w/ Julianna Barwick
$ w/ NewVillager