ok, before i get into this review, let me first say that even if i am a huge, adoring, rabid, squealing fan of a band, that’s no guarantee that i will automatically like any and every new release they put out - quite the opposite, actually. i am way more likely to be critical of every little flaw if a band has put out something previously that i loved. i get really nervous when a band like the national or crooked fingers or okkervil river puts out something new because my expectations of them are so very high and i hate disappointment, dammit.
well, no worries with the stage names, thank god. to the contrary, i have actually heard from more than one source that okkervil river has gotten too good with this one. and that makes me laugh and laugh because hey, people are stupid and there is no such thing as music being too good. morons.
sure, this is way more polished and together than the okkervil river i have known and loved since stars too small to use was making the demo rounds in the late, late 90’s . the serrated edges are shinier and polished to a subtle sheen. there’s a full brass section that bounces and bubbles on the upbeat songs. and yeah, the melancholy that made their much-lauded 2005 release black sheep boy so haunting has shifted into a joyful kind of bittersweetness. but come on, people, to call this “too good” just shows how ridiculous some music reviewer types can be.
part of that attitude may come from the fact that this album is much more orchestrated and energetic than i ever expected from my okkervil boys - i can’t wait to hear it live. it opens with a tight little riff on “our life is not a movie or maybe” and then unfolds into blazing, thumping, piano-riddled rock songs that sweep you in their wake, then trick you into dropping into quiet interludes. the hand claps in the rocking “a hand to take hold of the scene” will have you jumping even when you realize that the song is really a plea for some control. the rocking “unless it’s kicks” manages to be self-analytical about this strange beast we call rock ‘n’ roll music, without resorting to preachiness, no easy feat, even for a writer of will sheff’s caliber.
which brings me to another good point - i like my music to be revelatory, to tell stories. and i don’t want the whole tale spelled out either, i just want to be offered glimpses into the minds of other “normal” folks who have their own mystery and strangeness running through their lives. and will sheff has never disappointed me with his songwriting. he honestly is one of the most literate lyricists out there, painfully insightful and intricately reflective with just enough ambiguity to keep things interesting. the kid must put so much time into crafting these songs - they are full of references that somehow manage to work into the mood of the tune without being gimmicky. the song “plus ones” ingeniously weaves the titles of classic rock songs with numbers in the titles into its lyrics, but with the twist of adding 1 to each…97 tears, 100 luftbaloons, 8 chinese brothers, 51 ways to leave your lover. it’s so well done that each reference fits perfectly with the tale he is weaving.
and though the stage names is an absolute blast to listen to when the band is playing those shimmery, energetic songs, it’s when they calm things down that okkervil river truly shines in that way they do so well. the plinky toy piano on “savannah smiles” combines oh-so-melodically with country-tinged strings and crooning. then there’s the last track, the shivery and disturbing “john allyn smith sails,” which somehow manages to combine the tale of a poet’s suicide attempts with the beach boys’ song “sloop john b.” hearing the ragged chorus singing “this is the worst trip i’ve ever been on” as a suicide note tugs and manipulates and feels voyeuristic and painful in the best way.
what i am trying to say here, in a wordy and ebullient nutshell, is that the stage names is okkervil river’s best album to date and much more accessible than their previous releases. i had my doubts that the band would be able to equal their older albums, every single one of which went straight to my shriveled black raisin heart the moment i heard it, but i can say with no doubt that this one tops them in almost every way. it’s more powerful, and its soft, reflective songs are just as poignant.
blah, blah, i could go on and on but this is one of those records that you really have to hear for yourself. give it a shot, please. it’s the least you can do after all i’ve done for you.
Label: jagjaguwar
Release Date: august 7, 2007 (US)
Rating: 9/10
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Comment by John B. — August 26, 2007 @ 2:37 am
This review echoed perfectly how I felt about this release - I even used the words “more accessible” when discussing it with others. I was afraid this wouldn’t measure up to Black Sheep Boy, but boy oh black sheep boy, was I worried for nothing.
Thanks!