I would not have understood this was more of a theme album than the bands other work will sheff writes a lot about his life without the publicity. Okkervil rivers eighth album, away, the followup to 20s the silver gymnasium, is a personal exercise for sheff, coping with loss and isolation while searching for a new course in life. Npr has premiered an interactive stream of another song from the new okkervil river album the silver gymnasium, coming out september 3. Somber stories and a cause for joy away, one of the years best albums, is a tribute to change. Ostensibly about a specific time and place, the silver gymnasium confirms okkervil river as a band thats still too crafty to settle for anything so simple as a straightforward paean to childhood, using this boilerplate structure to examine the deeper meaning behind the natural impulse to fixate on the past. We encrypt all traffic involving personal data with industrystandard ssl certificates and we are also pci compliant meaning that we follow all current data security standards and undergo weekly scans monitoring our security status. July 15, 20 okkervil rivers new album, the silver gymnasium, was inspired by lead singer will sheffs home town of meriden, n. Growing up in meriden behind okkervil river s new album. I grew up in a town of about 6,000 people in rural kansas back in the 70s and 80s. Reviews of the silver gymnasium by okkervil river, album no. A list of the top albums of the year from consequence of sound. In september 20 okkervil river released their seventh album, the silver gymnasium, the content of which is inspired by sheffs childhood and hometown.
Pier suicide car, and now npr is sharing a lush sixanda. Okkervil rivers 7th album, the silver gymnasium takes place in 1986 in a small town in new hampshire where will sheff grew up. Sheff must have purged the desire to experiment from his system, because okkervil rivers newest, the silver gymnasium, returns the reins to a proper producer john agnello, dinosaur jr. Okkervil river, away away is a rebuildingyourselffromthegroundup kind of record, and singersongwriter will sheff uses the occasion to take his time and let his songs breathe. As such, the record captures not only his own autobiographical. Okkervil river the silver gymnasium official artwork. Stream adfree or purchase cds and mp3s now on amazon. Henry hallett, son of thomas and catherine hallett, was born in the parish of st. The thing that stands out the most for me about okkervil river is they formed in 1998, the year i graduated high school which makes me pretty fucking old. Two decades of okkervil river live, tells the story of okkervil rivers 21year existence through 12 live albums released digitally once a month for a year. Recorded in the first wild flush of touring for okkervil rivers 20 concept album the silver gymnasium, out of the silver gymnasium presents highlights from that record interspersed by selections from i am very far, barnstorming renditions of fan favorites lost coastlines and unless its kicks, and covers of dance hall days. Sheff has relocated from austin to new york, and he seems to be investigating the question of what it even means.
Okkervil river dont have to sound right on the precipice of madness to be interesting, but unfortunately the silver gymnasium buffs away their eccentricities and robs the music of its impact. The faces that make up the band have changed repeatedly over the years singersongwriter will sheff being the only real constant over their 14year existence and theyve had their share of stylistic and thematic shifts over. Okkervil river the silver gymnasium official artwork video. Each album comes with comprehensive liner notes featuring new essays, journal entries, interviews, archival photos and more. But when he went away to college, his father accepted a new job in worcester, ma. My theories were speculative rather than definitive at first, i thought it was all about some kind of journey, a travelling album, but having had another listen, i now wonder if its more about life in general, and our journey from youth to. Dec 21, 2017 12 surprising reasons to be grateful for the arts in 2017. Take a tour of lead singer will sheffs childhood home town with a beautifully illustrated map by artist william schaff and discover all the weird things magic and mischief and bad movies on vhs that inspired okkervil river s new album, the silver gymnasium. Today, the ahsolo project of composer and musician jeremy gustin rubblebucket, okkervil river, delicate steve, marc ribot, albert hammond jr, etcshared the second single from his forthcoming sophomore fulllength mere husk. This is a video of me playing it in the silver gymnasium.
Okkervil rivers sixth album, i am very far, was released on 10 may 2011. Listen to your favorite songs from the silver gymnasium by okkervil river now. Which perhaps means that the map stories are an appendix to the album proper, and all of sheffs best meriden stories are tucked away in the songs themselves. At first blush, okkervil river is obviously a good rock n roll band, but listen closely especially to its lyrics and youll hear a great rock n roll band. Okkervil river occupy an intriguing conceptual space. Okkervil river s 7th album, the silver gymnasium takes place in 1986 in a small town in new hampshire where will sheff grew up. On monday, i thought that the silver gymnasium was about a journey from a to b. July 15, 20 okkervil river s new album, the silver gymnasium, was inspired by lead singer will sheffs home town of meriden, n. On okkervil rivers latest album, the silver gymnasium, lead singer and songwriter will sheff looks back at his own childhood in meriden, n.
The bands entire lineup has turned over since the release of 20s nostalgiadrenched the silver gymnasium, for starters, while other. Okkervil rivers frontman looks back on childhood without an instagram filter. Okkervil rivers first release for the ato label is a concept album about innocence and youth, showing a kids first glimpses into the adult world. Okkervil river, the silver gymnasium the boston globe. Okkervil river the silver gymnasium lyrics and tracklist. Okkervil river biography, albums, streaming links allmusic.
On monday, i tried to figure out the meaning behind okkervil river s new album, the silver gymnasium, simply by listening to it all the way through. Their new album is a bit of a departure, however, because frontman will sheff wanted to push my brain to places it didnt want to go. Jul 15, 20 listen to okkervil rivers expansive new trackdown down the deep river from their upcoming album the silver gymnasium. Take a tour of lead singer will sheffs childhood home town with a beautifully illustrated map by artist william schaff and discover all the weird things magic and mischief and bad movies on vhs that inspired okkervil rivers new album, the silver gymnasium. For okkervil rivers will sheff, its been impossible to let go of meriden, n. The band marshals just about every 80s pop trick in the book hey. Okkervil river lido pier suicide car performed in the silver. A dream in the dark is a collection of twelve digital live albums spanning two decades from okkervil rivers earliest shows up to the present day. Okkervil river bandleader will sheff grew up in this isolated hamlet of fewer than 500 residents. Okkervil river listen and stream free music, albums, new releases, photos, videos official. In fact, one of my very favorite things about okkervil river is the fact that sheff consistently bests me in the smarts department and i learn all sorts of new things from lyrics about the likes of lethes banks.
Its human nature to romanticize a specific time and place in the past a moment when everything just felt right, or opportunities were laid out like a banquet. Listen to okkervil rivers down down the deep river paste. It presents a comprehensive history of the band through the lens of concerts instead of studio albums, and it draws from a massive archive of recordings catalogued by will sheff and by fans throughout the years. The songs on the bands new album, the silver gymnasium, are darkly articulate just dont call him. Sheffs new fire, his seventh fulllength lp under the okkervil river banner, is the silver gymnasium. Okkervil river the silver gymnasium tiny mix tapes. The silver gymnasium ends with two of the best okkervil river songs ever.
Okkervil rivers seventh release is a big, sloppyhearted trip back in time, an endearing pop rock set dedicated to will sheffs misbegotten youth in meriden, new hampshire. Sheffs homecoming was his inspiration for last years the silver gymnasium, a bildungsroman that sees okkervil river at their most accessible sound yet. They began as a trio made up of sheff and friends he had met in his native state of new hampshire but, over time, have gone through many lineups. There have always been a few constants when it comes to an okkervil river album. Okkervil river will return with their seventh studio album, the silver gymnasium, on september 3rd via the bands new label ato records. Stream adfree with amazon music unlimited on mobile, desktop, and tablet. Okkervil river away cd2xlp ato since releasing 20s the silver gymnasium, the last okkervil river album, will sheff, the sharp and literate songwriter who masterminds the band, has changed the entire lineup of the group. Mar 04, 2016 away is the eighth studio album by american rock band okkervil river, released on september 9, 2016. The band formed when guitarist, singer and songwriter will sheff started playing with mandolin and bass player zach thomas and drummer seth warren. Hey, my little baby pointing at the skys amazing in the lake now all of this sensation and no space on earth to. Its been three years since okkervil river released its last album, 20s the silver gymnasium. The bands entire lineup has turned over since the release of 20s nostalgia drenched the silver gymnasium, for starters, while other.
Okkervil river, the silver gymnasium for okkervil river s will sheff, its been impossible to let go of meriden, n. Sep 09, 2016 besides singersongwriter will sheff, the lineup of literary rock staple okkervil river has changed entirely since their last record, 20s warmhued the silver gymnasium, but the new songs. November was an appetizer, december is the judgement month. Okkervil river is an american rock band led by singersongwriter will sheff. Okkervil river down down the deep river pitchfork has details on and a first stream from the new elf power record sunlight on the moon, due out october 1. Sep 03, 20 the silver gymnasium is a loose concept album centered around singer will sheffs hometown, meriden, new hampshire heres how sheff described it in an interview i feel like most of what i. Okkervil rivers new album, the silver gymnasium, was inspired by lead singer will sheffs home town of meriden, n. I have a soft spot for the indierock band okkervil river and its lead singersongwriter. This is a special album for the band as it is wills first autobiographical record.
For longtime fans of sheff, the album is noteworthy in that it. The band performs three songs from the silver gymnasium, a record inspired by the childhood of 37yearold singersongwriter will sheff. Lido pier suicide car performed in the silver gymnasium duration. Its kind of the dividing line down the middle of our album the silver gymnasium. Okkervil river frontman will sheff has never shied away from dipping his pen into the seemingly bottomless inkwell of nostalgia that seems to permeate much of 21st century indie pop and rock, but on the silver gymnasium, the lone star state bands seventh longplayer, sheff goes all in with a celebrationexorcism of his hometown of meridian, new hampshire, crafting an 11. Some people will call this album a masterpiece, while others will call it a fatuous mess. It is the bands first release after signing to ato records, and their first album not released through jagjaguwar. Okkervil river listen and stream free music, albums, new. Okkervil rivers profile including the latest music, albums, songs, music videos and more updates. The silver gymnasium is the seventh album by american indie rock band okkervil river, released on september 3, 20. The silver gymnasium by okkervil river on apple music. Hear a song from the album and explore an interactive map of. Marys, battersea, surrey, england in about 1773, he left for canada in 1793 as an employee of the hudsons bay company. With 1,400 bands playing on 60odd stages over the course of five days and thats not even counting day parties and unofficial events.
The silver gymnasium is a loose concept album centered around singer will sheffs hometown, meriden, new hampshire heres how sheff described it in an interview i feel like most of what i. Okkervil river the silver gymnasium the silver gymnasium takes place in 1986 in the small town of meriden, nh. To promote the album, the band went on tour in 2011 with titus andronicus, julianna barwick, future islands and newvillager. Okkervil river frontman will sheff told me in an interview for an r. Frank yang everyones heard the old adage about how life is like a river, everchanging, and in the case of austins okkervil river, its especially apt. Jesusfollower, husband, father, pastor, photographer, writer, formerly reformissionary. The first big webzine speaking is popmatters that today published its chart of the 75 best songs of 20. Children of the river an ala best book for young adults an ira childrens book award a golden kite award new york public library books for the teen age fire on the wind maine student book award master list 19961997 vermont dorothy canfield fisher book award master list 19961997 nekomah creek an ala notable childrens book nekomah creek christmas. Kcrw, a community service of santa monica college, is southern californias leading national public radio npr affiliate, featuring an eclectic mix of music, news and arts programming. Sep 03, 20 okkervil river dont have to sound right on the precipice of madness to be interesting, but unfortunately the silver gymnasium buffs away their eccentricities and robs the music of its impact. Order online today and get free uk delivery on orders over.
Sep 11, 2017 if you were a classic indie rock fan the lineup was hard to beat, with headliners guided by voices, plus built to spill who replaced an ailing charles bradley, okkervil river, and the sadies. Tiny desk concert the band performs three songs from the silver gymnasium, a record inspired by the childhood of 37yearold singersongwriter will sheff. Ive never romanticized it much, though it was certainly a simpler time and, for better or worse, its where i learned to make some sense of my. This album is the bands second release on ato records, following their previous studio album the silver gymnasium. Shop for vinyl, cds and more from okkervil river at the discogs marketplace. Okkervil river lyrics and guitar tabs okkervil river on npr music okkervil.
Okkervil river the silver gymnasium releases discogs. Formed in austin, texas, in 1998, the band takes its name from a short story by russian author tatyana tolstaya set on the river in saint petersburg. The silver gymnasium by okkervil river on amazon music unlimited. Produced by john agnello, the seventh fulllength release for the austin indie rock band was inspired by frontman will sheffs childhood in his new hampshire ho.
The album was produced by john agnello kurt vile, dinosaur jr. Already renowned in texas, okkervil river rose to national prominence with the release of 2005s black sheep boy. Oct 08, 20 1 another self portrait bob dylan 2 i hate music superchunk 3 am arctic monkeys 4 the silver gymnasium okkervil river 5 uncanney valley dismemberment plan 6 yes, its true polyphonic. Sheff sets okkervil rivers seventh album, the silver gymnasium, square in the heart of his own childhood.
Payment security we take the security of our website and of your transactions extremely seriously. Okkervil river albums from worst to best stereogum. All the time every day is a freewheeling, arguably boozy pub rock song, with doowop inspired piano underscoring it. Since forming in late 1998, okkervil river won wide critical acclaim for their emotive, ragged performances and literate songwriting. Take the yearning nostalgia of the silver gymnasium and listen to will sheff return to the early simplicity and tenderness of down the river take the yearning nostalgia of the silver gymnasium and listen to will sheff return to the early simplicity and tenderness of down the river of golden dreams. Okkervil river, the silver gymnasium slant magazine. The silver gymnasium links the cleverness and high production values of those records with the folkier, more contemplative vibe of okkervil rivers earlier work. Shopping centers still sit as empty as they were when you left it, opting instead to build a brand new building for that new applebees to go in. The band released their seventh album, the silver gymnasium, on 3 september 20.
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