Okkervil River – Away – Album Review by Killian Laher

Will Sheff and co have been ploughing a fairly sleepy furrow as Okkervil River since the end of the nineties. Their eighth album opens with slow, deliberate guitar picking on the brilliantly titled Okkervil River R.I.P., which gradually builds to a relaxed yet insistent sunny strum. Call Yourself Renee is the first of several tracks containing some rather stately strings, almost like a folky National. In common with many of the tracks here it’s fairly lengthy at seven minutes, taking its sweet time to not really go anywhere.

The Industry is both the shortest and poppiest thing here, however it zips by without really connecting. Better is Comes Indiana Through The Smoke which will appeal to anybody who enjoyed last year’s Sufjan Stevens album Carrie and Lowell. This track shares a sound and a feel with that album, and is quite affecting, particularly with the addition of strings and brass.

The album takes a turn towards Nick Drake style folk on She Would Look For Me, featuring a nice backing vocal from Marissa Nadler and some fetching woodwind. Sheff does a good world-weary throughout the album, particularly on Mary On A Wave where he gives Robert Smith a run for his (considerable) money. They save the best for last with the gorgeous, yearning Days Spent Floating. Consisting mainly of rolling guitars and gentle touches of guitar, it does a fine job of sounding just like its title, the song indeed ‘floating’ off into the ether.

The whole thing hangs together very nicely, and while it by no means stands out from the Americana-sad-bastard crowd, it’s a perfectly decent way to spend an hour or so.

Track List:

1. Okkervil River R.I.P.
2. Call Yourself Renee
3. The Industry
4. Comes Indiana Through The Smoke
5. Judey On A Street
6. She Would Look For Me
7. Mary On A Wave
8. Frontman In Heaven
9. Days Spent Floating (In The Halfbetween)

Okkervil River R.I.P.