Okkervil River
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Okkervil River

Okkervil River formed in Austin, Texas in 1998, with Will Sheff on vocals and guitar. Their name came from an obscure Ukrainian folk song, which gives you a...

album92 lyric pages photo_library3 photos groups12 listeners here now Editor's note live
person Curated by Ethan Walker LyroVerse team
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Editor's note

Okkervil River's literary folk-rock from Austin

Will Sheff's band built a catalog of stark, melodic songs that balance folk intimacy with darker themes.

If you're new to them, start with "Black Sheep Boy" and the more recent "Love To A Monster." That gives you the range from their indie peak to where they've landed lately.

The band's 2005 album "Black Sheep Boy" gave indie rock one of its genuine anthems in the title track. That record showed how they could wrap Sheff's poetic lyrics in arrangements that felt both chamber-folk delicate and rock-solid. Songs like "A King And A Queen" and "Black" from that album still define their particular blend of melody and shadow.

They formed in Austin in 1998, naming themselves after an obscure Ukrainian folk song. Their 2002 debut "Don't Fall in Love with Everyone You See" established their sound, and they've released albums steadily ever since, through lineup changes and records like "The Stage Names" and "In the Rainbow Rain."

edit_note Ethan Walker · LyroVerse team · Apr 19
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LyroVerse editor's notes are short interpretation guides, not final verdicts. If something needs a correction, visit About or Contact.

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Okkervil River formed in Austin, Texas in 1998, with Will Sheff on vocals and guitar. Their name came from an obscure Ukrainian folk song, which gives you a sense of their literary leanings. Their debut album, "Don't Fall in Love with Everyone You See," arrived in 2002 and established their sound, a mix of folk and rock with chamber music touches, built around Sheff's stark, poetic lyrics.

Things picked up with their fourth album, "Black Sheep Boy," in 2005. The title track became something of an indie anthem, and songs like "A King And A Queen" and "Black" showed how they could balance melody with darker themes. They kept releasing albums regularly after that, including "The Stage Names" in 2007 and "Away" in 2013.

In 2013, guitarist Jonathan Meiburg left the band after allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced. The current lineup features Sheff alongside Brian Cassidy on guitar, Patrick Pestorius on bass, and Benjamin Lazar Davis on drums. They've put out records steadily since, like "In the Rainbow Rain" in 2016 and "Love and Work" in 2018.

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Where should I start with Okkervil River on LyroVerse?

The Start here section opens with Curse, Dead Faces, and Love To A Monster so you can move through the artist's stronger lyric pages first.

How many lyric pages are live for Okkervil River?

LyroVerse currently has 92 visible lyric pages for Okkervil River.

Does Okkervil River have photos on LyroVerse?

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Does LyroVerse have an editor's note for Okkervil River?

Yes. The editor's note on this page is a short LyroVerse team guide, not a final verdict on the artist.

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