#37 Okkervil River – The Stage Names

Usually, I balk when bands “sample” (i.e. rip off) other artist’s music in their own work. I’ve heard Of Montreal betray themselves too many times with lousy Outback commercials, and for as much as I can like me some Joan Baez, she wouldn’t have been worth the spotlight were it not for Bob Dylan. Even when it’s done well, like in last year’s Roots album Game Theory when Radiohead’s “You and Whose Army?” is plugged into a hip-hoppish beat on “Atonement,” it feels so sheepishly contrived. Which it is, of course. Why would one of the few rap groups really worth listening to feel the need to borrow? The few exceptions that come to mind are Kurt Cobain’s sly parody of “Get Together” on Nevermind, Beck’s mixing of funk soul classics on Odelay, or DJ Shadow’s entire Endtroducing. And the only reason those work for me is because they add depth to their own songwriting by creating something entirely new from its framework. So when Austin sextet Okkervil River do a straight up cover of The Beach Boy’s “Sloop John B” as an addendum to their fifth LP The Stage Names, I’m rather surprised that I’m so forgiving. It’s hardly just a postscript tribute to Brian Wilson, but it’s really not a recreation of any kind to merit it as an interpretation or indie rock rendition. I make such a big deal about this because I find that my entire approach to Stage Names is passive, in that they are able to pull off things in their music that would normally make me cringe while thumbing for the stop button. Singer Will Sheff’s every lyric is emotionally strained and the entire album’s use of film set metaphors for life (just listen to “Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe”) sounds too much like shtick for comfort. But after listening to this album too many times lately to write this review, I know I’m not just being lax; every song on this album is quite good, chocked full of memorable lines and hummable hooks. “Savannah Smiles” damn near made it into the elite top 50 songs mix I put together a month or so ago. Those who don’t have my aforementioned hang-ups probably won’t have any reservations with belting out “Hoise up the John B sail!” along with Sheff – and when the drum beats pound into the last few moments of the record, just let it skip back to track one and start over again.