Okkervil River - Don't Fall in Love with Everyone You See - Jagjaguwar Records

Review by: Jennifer Perkins

Eclectic, Interesting, musically diverse - take your pick all these descriptors are applicable to Okkervil River. Don't forget to throw in talented, engaging, coy and just plain good. Okkervil River encompass a myriad of descriptions and sounds, making no two songs exactly alike. Trying to decide if the 9 songs on Don't Fall in Love with Everyone You See are folk songs, alt country, zydeco or murder ballads is half the fun.

The excitement of the guessing game never stops with Don't Fall in Love with Everyone You See. Name that musical instrument is an endlessly entertaining game to play while spinning this disc. The list of guest musicians on this release reads like War and Peace as far as liner notes go. Random Orphean's specializing in mandolins, banjos, pedal steels, mellotrons, strings, horns and more. Fans of Daniel Johnston might opt to skip straight to "Happy Hearts" where he lends a vocal hand.

Another interesting aspect of Okkervil River (as if there were not enough already) is their lyrical content. Much of the lyrics read like precursors to unborn novels (might find yourself a publisher now that you found a good label). Songs like "Westfall" flirt with morbid content. Not in a blatant "I used to love her, but I had to Kill Her" GNR type way, more like they have taken pointers from the master Nick Cave himself. No one could ever croon about murder and make it sexy and intriguing like Mr. Bad Seed, except for now maybe Will Robinson Sheff.

Other points worth mentioning about Okkervil River and their stellar new CD include fascinating tid bits like although the band calls Austin home the release is being brought to the world via Indiana's Jagjaguwar. Typically known for their more obtuse listens (Oneida), Okkervil River is a welcome more palatable addition to their roster. Also worth a mention is that 2 parts of this band make up Shearwater (read my gushing review of those guys next). The cover art and packing are impeccable, the recording captures the band perfectly, am I gushing again?

Like Shearwater, Okkervil River surprises me. Just when I think after 27 years I have a pretty firm grasp on what I like and dislike musically a band like Okkervil River, who is completely outside my musical box, comes along and throws a kink in things. Don't Fall in Love with Everyone You See opens my eyes to new styles and sounds and expands my musical horizons. I guess I should thank them, as my father always told me "Foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds". Sounds to me like someone gave these guys the same advice and they took it to heart.

Read where Okkervil River got their name from here.

Read a review of Shearwater here.