Customer Reviews

Black Sheep Boy

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It opens with a tender strummed guitar and the short anecdotal cover of Tim Hardin's "Black Sheep Boy," Will Sheff's voice perfectly capturing the lonesome, winsome feel of the song. But then...

Okkervil River was one of those obscure bands that no one would ever find without some digging, one of those band that needed, absolutely demanded commercial and critical success but you know would never receive it and drift off into some shadowy part of history, forever forgotten. To forget such an absolute treasure, one of the finest examples of just plain MUSIC in recent years, is to be a fool, plain and simple. This is one of those albums where you'll listen to it and wonder "Why the hell didn't someone try this before???" as you hear some new ingenious bit of chord or vocal or structuring. Even with all the traditional playing and instruments it utilizes, even with the grounded-to-earth folk feel this record sometimes lets on as being, the music as a whole just comes together in such a brilliant, ingenous, road-paving way that you wonder how they could do this with said ingredients.

I've read in a Modest Mouse review that it is the holy grail of artists to forge a unique sound out of rock's traditional instruments. Okkervil River not only manage to form a distinct sound (maybe described as somewhat folky, somewhat indie-rock, somewhat classical) but they pepper it with this all-defining mood of loss, not just of love, but of friendship, which is fairly refreshing. Love plays a strong part, of course, but so does plain friendship, plain and simple being there for someone else, and reconciliation, and it ends up just as compelling as any set of songs about failed relationships, etc. I've lost a friend of 13 years due to certain differences, among others, unfortunately, and I can definitely relate.

The record careens from one perfectly realized nugget of pop and musical wonderment to another, beginning with the fierce "For Real" . Utilizing imagery from Wizard of Oz, it seems the song's main distress is over the simple ability to feel. The narrator longs for something real, even going to the point of violence to obtain it. "Sometimes I thirst for real cuts/ for real blood/ For real knives/ For real crimes." It speaks deeply to these impulses within us, even dark and murderous, as some way of tryign to connect with reality. Minimalistic cymbal crashes and guitar permeate it at first, but then give way to full on rollicking drums and guitar thrashes, as if the song itself were losing its mind.

The album moves on gracefully from there. "In a Radio Song" somberly sets the pace for the rest of the record, pensive and distant. The poppy "Black" recalls abuse, full of venom and revenge despite the sweet sound of the music. The narrator seems at odds with cutting the guy's throat and at the same time trying to be there for the victim. "Get Big" is a sweet little duet, maybe a comment on growing up. "A King and Queen" continues the theme of the black sheep boy, focusing on his particular trials and tribulations. Then there's the mammoth "A Stone." This song is basically made to anyone who felt rejected and denied by someone they loved or liked deeply. "The Latest Toughs," despite the grim subject matter preceeding, is a triumphant call to personal arms, and is more apt at suggesting hope and light than pretty much any song this year, or the year previous, to be honest. "Song of Our So-Called Friend" delves deeper into the issue of friendship, all sweet harmony and slow delicate instruments as Sheff considers the nature of his so-called "friendship."

Then comes this record's denoument, "So Come Back, I Am Waiting," a love song, if in the loosest sense. After the dejection of "So Called Friend," it says "but just let me say one more time..." and is a heartbreaking lament to lost love, and a decleration to give the narrator another chance. Eight minutes of pure power and emotion, it is the shuddering and broken song of the year.

The record closes with the soft "A Glow," a gentle and reflective song of recovered love, as it only should, hinting towards the future. I can only predict incredible things for this band. I wish they would become more well-known for this appalingly incredible record. In fact, I'm surprised everyone can manage to ignore a piece of work of such mangnitude. 16 reviews? Only??? Amazing. Give this a chance, and move on to the band's other work. Here is the future of intelligent pop music, the future of what will compell you in months to come. If emotion could be registered any more purely, I would love to see it. The highest reccomendation.

I too was at the Okkervil River/Decemberists show in Houston, and it's true Okkervil River put on a better show (and that's coming from a huge Decemberists fan). That night openned my eyes to Okkervil River. Previously, I had known them, and liked them somewhat. I liked "Don't Fall In Love With Everyone You See", and loved a few tracks from there. While I liked the album, I feel it was a little poorly executed. In some parts instruments were out of tune together, and often Will Sheff's vocals were off key. But it was still a pretty good release.

That's basically the awareness of Okkervil River I went into that show with. After the show I bought their first album.

Fast forward ahead 2 weeks, I pick up "Black Sheep Boy" and subsequently wonder how the **** I didn't pick this up that night instead. This album is really damn good! It's a bit less folk/alt-country then their previous releases, which is actually the only part that bothers me. There is no mandolin! I think some of Okkervil River's best songs feature the mandolin. "West Falls" (my favorite Okkervil song), "Dead Dog Days", "Okkervil River Song", "Seas Too Far To Reach" & "Yellow" all feature the mandolin and are great. That negative aside; One giant emphasis that people should be aware with this album lies with Will Sheff's absolutely brilliant lyrics. If people thought Colin Meloy's storytelling was a high enough precedent for this year, I feel he's now been surpassed...

The best of show is definitely "For Real". Everything about this song is great: the lyrics, the music, the structure and so on. The latter part of the song builds to climatic peak that is just amazing. Seriously, you must hear this song. I love Will Sheff's stories of criminals. They're novel and never really out of line. And on this song he is basically living with homicidal thoughts in his mind. "So Come Back, I Am Waiting" is an 8 minute song about someone who eventually escapes capture from some serial killer. This is another truely amazing song and it highlights another great aspect to this album: how melodic the singing of Will Sheff has become. On this album, he creates some wonderful melodies with his vocals, more often than not over powering the instruments, which is a brilliant task. "Song Of Our So-Called Friend" is a song about rejection. It's another great song with great lyrics but I really feel this song could have been even better with a damn mandolin! "Get Big", "A Stone", "A Glow" and "A King And A Queen" are more examples of Sheff's vocals creating better melodies then the band's instruments, which are putting a really great show themselves. "The Latest Thoughs" & "Black" are the more upbeat, louder tracks of the album. And finally: "In A Radio Song" is a slower paced, melodic song filled with various experimental noises throughout.

Overall, this is perfect, and by far Okkervil River's best release. It is one of the best releases, period, this year. I hope with this release they get the giant recognition they now deserve. And I hope something incites them to bring back the mandolin! I won't be too surprised if this grows to become my favorite release of the year.

'Black Sheep Boy' opens with a less than two minute introduction which is a declaration of theme for the album: 'I'm the family's unowned boy'. Every song on the album is an emotional release not directed at anyone in particular. The songs have a common theme of taking back pride and self esteem after being devalued as a human being by society. Vocals are the driving force of the album; they have a certain charisma that grabs you and envelopes you with a strength and purposefulness and a subtle intonation of the fragility and woundedness reflected in the lyrics. The instrumentals are subtle and understated, perfectly complementing the powerful vocals.

The songs are directed at all those who may be viewed as a 'black sheep'; people who are told because they are anxious, socially awkward, or too passive that they're not as good as the beauty queens and alpha males of the world. 'Make a scene, but don't lie on the bed, laid out like you're dead'. Don't let yourself be devalued and succumb to the defeatist philosophy that you can never win. Make a statement, be seen, and don't be taken advantage of. A message of vigilance, directed at the kinds of people who need one.

The lead singer varies between low key, understated singing and loud, intense singing. Because the instrumentation isn't very impressive in itself, the more intense songs are the better ones on the album. 'For Real' has a whisper-to-wail dynamic that concisely expresses the frustration of the song; and is the best song on the album.

This is, basically, a great lo-fi indie release. Any indie fans should buy it.

When I first listened to this CD I thought it was just okay but after a few more listens I have discovered the many intricacies this album has to offer. I now rate it as a SOLID 5. The refreshing part of this album is its straightforward musicality that always manages to hold my interest. The lyrics are clever and heartfelt, and the band has a way of playing with lyrical meter that is very creative (It's rememnicent of the style Edgar Alan Poe, see "A King and a Queen" and "Song of Our So-Called Friend"). I highly recommend this album; it has the perfect balance of novelty and accessibility.

i cant stand to listen to the radio anymore. its the same monotonous pop and commercial hip-hop. i crave for originality. luckily Okkervil River has come to the rescue.. this is in my top 5 records of 2005. i know 2005 isnt over yet, but this record is THAT good.

its a concept album based loosely off of the title track. Will Sheff is one of the best songwriters of our time. the imagery he uses is just phenomenal. Every song is near perfect, and each one sounds distinct. you will not be dissapointed with this album.

be sure to check out the rest of Okkervil River's releases, and, Will Sheff's "side project" - Shearwater.

I'm not good at writing reviews, but if you like music that simply cuts right through your chest and sits there and gives you an achey feeling, there's little better than Okkervil River (this goes for each of their releases, as far as I'm concerned).

I'm writing just prior to the release of this album's follow-up, which I picked up at a show on their current tour and is also wonderful.

well, i can assure you that this incredible masterpiece is one of the best releases of 2005 so far...this record is like a sad little short story set to music. will sheff's lyrics are poetry - brilliant, literate and sometimes even a little frightening unless you are into homicide, which i personally am not. his words and voice give me the best kind of shivers and make me feel all scratchy and hoarse in that part of my head where tears are made.

but anyway, yeah, i loved this from listen one and can honestly say that nothing has changed even though i am now on about listen 101. the band seems to have come into their own recently as this album sounds a lot more polished than "don't fall in love with everyone you see" in 2002 - another great record but seriously flawed in parts, whereas "black sheep boy" is a beautifully sad and moving aural jewel. if you like originality and emotion in your music, you must purchase this immediately.

Okkervil River has clearly mastered music in this, thier most recent release. The music laid down on the tracks of Black Sheep Boy come off as smoothly as such emotion laden tracks possibly can. They come off like the work of a natural though any follower of Okkervil's career would know this is not exactly the case. It took the desire to let go from the normally less risky songs of earlier albums to create the best tracks on this album. When first heard it seems as if each track is as good as the next but after a couple months of religious listening you can see all the strengths and weaknesses of each track. "For Real" as you have undoubtably heard is probably the best track with its surges of raw power that seems to come at entirely random moments. The start of the album and title track feels entirely appropriate given the whole album as if the album was truly written and produced around that one, breathtaking Tim Hardin cover. Many reviewer say thier cover hardly does it justice which I find in this case is just an excuse to show off respect for someone who had talent forty years ago. As the album progresses you understand the power of Will Sheff's vocals extends far beyond those of Connor Oberst. I can safely say that this album reaches up with the greatest albums of all time and I would reccommend picking up Sleep and Wake Up Songs EP to see the kind of masterful songwriting that Okkervil River is capable of.

Clever lyrics, addictive melodies. I love songs off of past albums, but as a whole, this album is Okkervil River's most cohesive and polished yet. I purchased it a couple weeks ago and I'm completely obsessed with it.

Out of Austin comes the little-known band Okkervil River, playing some of the most imaginative, beautiful, and heartfelt songs I've ever heard. Okkervil River goes a bit rock and pop with songs like "Black" and "All the Latest Toughs"; they absolutely blister with the raw and wonderfully coarse "For Real"; quiet down with the delicate and sublime "A Stone". But the crowning glory on this album is "So Come Back, I Am Waiting": a desperate, clawing, nearly nine-minute epic crescendo, filled with wild emotion, great alliteration, and wonderfully descriptive imagery. The entire album is loosely woven around the theme of the black sheep boy-- but it's not a story, more of a feeling, with repeating elements and imagery that flicker in and out. Between the varied instruments, Will Sheff's emotive voice and his wonderful use of language, this is my favorite album, period.