THROWBACK THURSDAYS

Sep 13

Nowadays with the constant flow of music we receive from the internet, it’s easy to forget about some of the brilliant albums and songs of the not so distant past. Every Thursday I’ll try to provide you guys with some of my favourite past albums and songs that you may have missed or simply forgotten about. Enjoy.

Okkervil River - “Black Sheep Boy” (2005)

Okkervil River is an Indie Rock band out of Austin, Texas. The band originally started out with three members back in 1998, singer-songwriter Will Sheff, Zach Thomas (Bass/Mandolin) and Seth Warren (Drums). Since then, as the music got more intricate and complex, the band has grown to include six members. However, through it all the heart and soul and mastermind of it all has been Will Sheff. Will Sheff is one of those rare singer/songwriters that can decide to make a concept album, and then effortlessly link every song in one way or another to the concept, while also making each song incredibly unique in its own right. It’s a real gift, and a real pleasure to listen to. His songs tell stories through his in depth and beautiful lyrics, which can range from being straightforward to cryptic within the length of one verse. All of which is accompanied by intricate music that includes a vast variety of instruments that all somehow come together to create a beautifully and wonderfully crafted song. Their albums are definitely an experience that everyone should have the opportunity to listen to.

My favourite album of Okkervil River’s is “Black Sheep Boy”. The album came out back in 2005 and received a large amount of well deserved critical acclaim. The album is a masterpiece. From the beginning to the end, the listener is taken on a beautiful and emotional journey that will leave you wishing there was more. Every song contributes to the overall theme of the album, making it eleven songs of pure brilliance, with no filler whatsoever. The album explores various topics, all of which revolve around the concept of being a black sheep boy. The theme of loneliness is explored repeatedly throughout the album, but in a variety of ways. Songs deal with unrequited love, fake friends, losing that spark and passion in a relationship as well as various other familial and relational issues. I know this makes the album sound like a downer, but it’s an immensely beautiful album. The emotions are conveyed in an artistic way that tells a story, not in an over the top, melodramatic, I wanna go cut myself sort of way. I can guarantee you won’t end this album feeling depressed, but rather you’ll be in awe at what you just experienced. It’s definitely an album that anyone can relate to on one level or another, and will leave you wanting to play it again after one listen. So if you like the songs I posted below, make sure you go and download the whole album, because you can’t truly appreciate a concept album unless you listen to the whole thing.

“For Real”