If you haven’t listened to Okkervil River, do yourself a favor and purchase the album Don’t Fall In Love With Everyone You See. My favorites on that album: Red, Kansas City, My Bad Days, & Happy Hearts. This is one of those albums that you can listen to cover to cover. And in my opinion, there is just NO other way. If I cannot listen to an entire album, then you will not hear me recommending it.

Okkervil River reminds me of Wilco & Bright Eyes, with a mandolin, slide guitar, harmonica, and a deep insight versed in lyrics that you cannot forgot. Can you relate? Sometimes, no, but you sure as hell have thought about it.

From the song “Red”: “Yes” is my favorite answer. I took a dancer home, she felt so alone. We stayed up all night in the kitchen doing my dishes, on and on until the dawn. She said “I know it’s easy to have me, but I have seen some things that I can’t even tell to my family pictures,” and “I’m full of fictions and fucking addictions” and “I miss my mother.”

From the song “Happy Hearts”: “Why must happy hearts break so hard, leave you staring in the mirror at a bar? Leave you talking to yourself, because you can’t talk to anybody”

From the song “Kansas City”: “With a dayful of promises dead on her lips, Mark 15:34 tucked next to her hip, she wants to move to Kansas City: “Move, pretty baby, where the sky is so blue.” I jumped in the water and started to drown. I thought of her walking and turned back around. I want to move to Kansas City, where the sky is so blue. With her pair of old wings that opened just once, she can walk on two feet now, she can go where she wants. She can move to Kansas City, where the sky is so blue. And I’ll tell you one thing that you should never do – never let a woman tell you she loves you.”

Thanks, Brandon, for introducing me to this kick-ass band.

Okkervil River is from Austin, TX and have been playing together since 1998. I’m embarrassed to say that I missed their show a couple months ago at the Granada. Please come back! Anyway, they will be releasing their new album, The Stand Ins, in the US on September 9th, and UK & Europe on October 13th. They have also released their fall tour:

09-12 Lawrence, KS – The Bottleneck
09-13 Omaha, NE – Slowdown
09-14 Madison, WI – Barrymore Theater
09-15 Fargo, ND – Aquarium
09-17 Seattle, WA – The Showbox
09-18 Vancouver, British Columbia – Richards on Richards
09-19 Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom
09-21 San Francisco, CA – Treasure Island Festival
09-23 Los Angeles, CA – Henry Fonda Theatre
09-24 Solana Beach, CA – Belly Up Tavern
09-26 El Paso, TX – The Blue Iguana
09-26-28 Austin, TX – Austin City Limits Music Festival
09-30 New Orleans, LA – The Republic
10-1 Birmingham, AL – Matthew’s Bar & Grill
10-2 Athens, GA – 40 Watt Club
10-4 Richmond, VA – The National
10-6 New York, NY – Webster Hall
10-7 New York, NY – Webster Hall
10-8 Northampton, MA – Pearl Street Nightclub
10-9 Millvale, PA – Mr. Smalls Theatre
10-10 Buffalo, NY – Tralf Music Hall
10-11 Montreal, QC – Les Saints
10-12 Toronto, ON – Phoenix

I have a sneaking suspicion that they will be playing somewhere else while they are there in Austin, TX (possibly Emo’s?). If this is released, then I will post and you will see me there.