EPT![[image loading]](http://theneedledrop.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/OKKERVIL-RIVER-I-AM-VERY-FAR.jpg)
I Am Very Far is a startling break from anything Okkervil River has done before: an album that plays not only as a lush, seamless epic, but also as the most deeply personal effort of their career.
A bit of history- Okkervil River is an indie rock band known for their literary lyrics and awesome instrumentation. Their sound is like the Decemberists, but darker. Like The New Pornographers, but less poppy. Like Neutral Milk Hotel, but more calculated. I honestly feel as if they are one of the most underrated bands out there.
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Some of their older stuff:
Anyway, Okkervil River's newest album just dropped today, so naturally I decided to go out and pick it up. I honestly did not know what to expect- would the raw emotional power of Black Sheep Boy resurface? Would it be a repeat of The Stand Ins and The Stage Names?
What came through my car's speakers on the drive back home at first took me aback- this was less than the polish of their past few albums. The songs were more contemplative than the forward-driving style I had come to associate with OR. I rejected songs like "Wake and Be Fine" and the culmination of the album, "The Rise," seemed to meander on like a wanderer without a destination.
However, something held me. These were not shallow songs- they had an intriguing quality that begged more listens. I obliged.
...and I found more and more to listen to with each subsequent listen. Qualities that I thought were lacking were merely buried beneath the surface: The sing-along anthems that permeated The Stand Ins and The Stage Names were present in songs such as "Your Past Life as a Blast" and "Hanging From a Hit." OR's bassist shines again on "Piratess." Smashing songs as "The Valley" and "Show Yourself" are definitely going to be added to my SC2 playlist.
Upon contemplation, I realized what sets I Am Very Far apart- it isn't as accessible. While meaning was very apparent in the lyrics of past albums, these new songs propose something different, something darker, more thoughtful, and ultimately something more interesting.
An example of what I'm talking about: "Wake and Be Fine" is characterized by chaotic verses juxtaposed with relatively calm choruses. This alienated me until I realized that OR was using the music as a true extension of their lyrics. The song describes much disorder and chaos during the verses, but during the chorus it asserts that "you've still got time to wake and be fine." The music very much reflects this, rather than just being all high octane all the time.
While I'm disheartened by the lack of banjo and mandolin, I applaud their increased use of bowed strings- violins and cellos liven several songs and increase the emotion conveyed.
To conclude, I guess I'll provide an analogy: If Black Sheep Boy was A Link to the Past, and The Stand Ins and The Stage Names were both Ocarina of Time, then I Am Very Far would be Majora's Mask. While some fans may not enjoy it as much as OoT, there's a lot to love in of itself. Majora's Mask tells a much more dark and sad tale than any other Zelda game before it, and provides its own challenges and rewards while creatively building upon characters and tropes already present in OoT- I Am Very Far shares much in common with Majora's Mask in this regard.
Some people prefer Majora's Mask to OoT. I know I do, and at this point after having I Am Very Far on repeat for the past few hours, I much prefer it to other Okkervil River albums.
Overall, I'd give this album a 9.3/10.0
For reference, other albums that would get a similar rating from me:
-Modest Mouse's The Moon and Antarctica
-Sufjan Steven's Michigan
-Vampire Weekend's Contra
-Bob Dylan's The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
-Death Cab for Cutie's Narrow Stairs
