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FeedSpree Music with Joe DiDomizio: Okkervil River
Photo by Alexandra Valenti, courtesy of Jagjaguar
This week, the question on everyone’s lips is: Did you get your tickets to the sold out Jimmy Eat World show? I didn’t, but that’s because I’ve been championing the upcoming Okkervil River show as the must-see show. On June 9th, the Town Ballroom will host three great bands—Okkervil River, Titus Andronicus, and Future Islands. Storytelling is the thread which connects these three somewhat dissimilar groups, each band successfully employs lyrics which evoke fully-realized characters and tell engaging stories.
Future Islands is based out of Baltimore, MD, playing what MySpace allows them to describe as “Minimalist/New-Wave/Pop”, and what they call “post-wave”. I’m guessing that is their way of insisting that they’re not just another New Wave revival band here to make French politicians seem cool and provoke dancing. Their minimalist techniques, with sunny and spacey synths, blend wonderfully with the salty, gruff growl that emerges from frontman Samuel T. Herring. This combination is at its best in their song "Tin Man".
At the other end of the spectrum, utilizing guitars front and center, Titus Andronicus blends the party rock destruction of The Replacements with the grandiose reach of Springsteen, highlighted by the gritty folk-punk of The Pogues, whom they toured with earlier this year. All of these influences mix well on their latest album, which is rife with stories of defeated losers, dead presidents, and images evoking both the Civil War and with the band's personal identity. Driving their point about place and identity home, the Brooklyn-based band made a video showing the real New Jersey, for their song “No Future Part Three: Escape From No Future”.
Supporting their new album I Am Very Far, headliners Okkervil River are making their third trip to Buffalo. They were first here at Soundlab in October of 2006, and despite the weather, provided the limited audience with an intimate and enervating show. Their new album is a step away from the last three, which saw individual songs—some more like short stories—building into a larger, unified concept and earning them a reputation for being a literate rock band. With each album release, Okkervil River has grown in size and technique. Over time, their raw, intimate, and rough edges have been sanded into nuance, becoming even soft in places, but without compromising overall impact. I Am Very Far keeps this growth alive with a sound that is unmistakably theirs, but is otherwise unlike anything we’ve heard prior recordings. See for yourself in this clip (of so-so quality) featuring the song “John Allyn Smith Sails” from their 2008 show, and the lead single, “Wake and Be Fine”, from the new album.
"John Allyn Smith Sails"
"Wake and Be Fine"
Their live show is full of energetic fun, and what—with the help of Will Scheff's emotive and imperfect voice—can be likened to catharsis, Okkervill is one of the most reliably enjoyable bands to catch live. I haven’t missed a show yet, and if you haven’t seen them, this will be the show to catch.
Thursday, June 9
Okkervil River with Titus Andronicus and Future Islands
Town Ballroom
681 Main St., (716) 852-3900
Reader Comments:
Great band, I've been looking forward to this for the last month. Joe I'll see you there.