Okkervil River is an indie/folk rock band from Austin, Texas USA. Formed i… Read Full Bio ↴Okkervil River is an indie/folk rock band from Austin, Texas USA. Formed in 1998, the band takes its name from a short story by Russian author Tatyana Tolstaya. The band currently consists of Will Sheff (vocals, guitar), Will Graefe (guitar), Sarah K. Pedinotti (keyboards), Benjamin Lazar Davis (bass) and Cully Symington (drums).
The band self-released their first album, Stars Too Small to Use, which led them to the South by Southwest music festival. After recording their first album in a garage, they signed with Jagjaguwar. Okkervil River continued by releasing four more albums, including critically lauded concept album Black Sheep Boy.
After a period of touring for Black Sheep Boy, Okkervil River followed up with The Stage Names. The album sold 10,000 in its opening week in the United States. The group released a free covers album, Golden Opportunities Mixtape from their live performances.
The band has garnered positive critical reception. Especially noted are each song's lyrics, intricate instrumentation, and thematic albums. In addition, they were featured on the talk show Late Night with Conan O'Brien and have performed with high profile bands such as The Decemberists, The New Pornographers, The National, and Lou Reed.
Okkervil River released their most recent album The Silver Gymnasium on September 3, 2013.
Discography:
* 1998 Bedroom EP – Jound
* 1999 Stars Too Small to Use - Jound
* 2002 Don't Fall in Love with Everyone You See - Jagjaguwar
* 2003 Down the River of Golden Dreams - Jagjaguwar
* 2003 Julie Doiron/Okkervil River (A split CD with Julie Dorion) - Acuarela
* 2004 Sleep and Wake-Up Songs (EP) - Jagjaguwar
* 2004 Sham Wedding/Hoax Funeral (A split CD with Shearwater) - Jagjaguwar
* 2005 Black Sheep Boy - Jagjaguwar
* 2005 Black Sheep Boy Appendix (EP) - Jagjaguwar
* 2006 Overboard and Down (EP) – Inertia, Australia-only tour EP
* 2007 The Stage Names - Jagjaguwar
* 2008 The Stand-Ins - Jagjaguwar
* 2011 I Am Very Far - Jagjaguwar
* 2013 The Silver Gymnasium - ATO Records
* 2016 Away - ATO Records
* 2018 In The Rainbow Rain - ATO Records
Current band members:
* Will Sheff - acoustic guitar, vocals, harmonica (keyboard occasionally)
* Travis Nelsen - drums, misc. percussion
* Scott Brackett - trumpet, coronet, keyboards, organ, tape player, misc. percussion
* Patrick Pestorius - bass, piano, woodblocks
* Justin Sherburn - keys, guitar
* Lauren Gurgiolo - electric guitar, pedal steel, mandolin
Past band members:
* Seth Warren - guitar
* Zachary Thomas - vocals, bass
* Jonathan Meiburg - vocals, banjo, guitar, accordion, piano, organ
* Mark Pedini - drums
* Brian Cassidy - electric guitar, pedal steel, mandolin, melodica (keyboard and accordion when on tour without Jonathan)
The band self-released their first album, Stars Too Small to Use, which led them to the South by Southwest music festival. After recording their first album in a garage, they signed with Jagjaguwar. Okkervil River continued by releasing four more albums, including critically lauded concept album Black Sheep Boy.
After a period of touring for Black Sheep Boy, Okkervil River followed up with The Stage Names. The album sold 10,000 in its opening week in the United States. The group released a free covers album, Golden Opportunities Mixtape from their live performances.
The band has garnered positive critical reception. Especially noted are each song's lyrics, intricate instrumentation, and thematic albums. In addition, they were featured on the talk show Late Night with Conan O'Brien and have performed with high profile bands such as The Decemberists, The New Pornographers, The National, and Lou Reed.
Okkervil River released their most recent album The Silver Gymnasium on September 3, 2013.
Discography:
* 1998 Bedroom EP – Jound
* 1999 Stars Too Small to Use - Jound
* 2002 Don't Fall in Love with Everyone You See - Jagjaguwar
* 2003 Down the River of Golden Dreams - Jagjaguwar
* 2003 Julie Doiron/Okkervil River (A split CD with Julie Dorion) - Acuarela
* 2004 Sleep and Wake-Up Songs (EP) - Jagjaguwar
* 2004 Sham Wedding/Hoax Funeral (A split CD with Shearwater) - Jagjaguwar
* 2005 Black Sheep Boy - Jagjaguwar
* 2005 Black Sheep Boy Appendix (EP) - Jagjaguwar
* 2006 Overboard and Down (EP) – Inertia, Australia-only tour EP
* 2007 The Stage Names - Jagjaguwar
* 2008 The Stand-Ins - Jagjaguwar
* 2011 I Am Very Far - Jagjaguwar
* 2013 The Silver Gymnasium - ATO Records
* 2016 Away - ATO Records
* 2018 In The Rainbow Rain - ATO Records
Current band members:
* Will Sheff - acoustic guitar, vocals, harmonica (keyboard occasionally)
* Travis Nelsen - drums, misc. percussion
* Scott Brackett - trumpet, coronet, keyboards, organ, tape player, misc. percussion
* Patrick Pestorius - bass, piano, woodblocks
* Justin Sherburn - keys, guitar
* Lauren Gurgiolo - electric guitar, pedal steel, mandolin
Past band members:
* Seth Warren - guitar
* Zachary Thomas - vocals, bass
* Jonathan Meiburg - vocals, banjo, guitar, accordion, piano, organ
* Mark Pedini - drums
* Brian Cassidy - electric guitar, pedal steel, mandolin, melodica (keyboard and accordion when on tour without Jonathan)
Comes Indiana Through the Smoke
Okkervil River Lyrics
So does the ink dry out
So does the singing mouth get sung up
So does the new headline no longer reach the town
So does the rosy fire of the horizon fade into dull grey
While the trees out by the parking lot get greener with the rain
On a dazzling field of blue
She comes sailing into view
All around her engines scream and guns unload
Comes Indiana through the smoke
Indiana through the smoke
But you were bigger than life
You were giant, you were earth-size
And now you're mostly just your mind
And your dim eyes, and your fractured spine
And you're sailing to the great unknown
But you've gotta go alone there
You can't even take your childhood bride
But it's okay that she's crying
With her OS2U fleet
Anti-aircraft battery
She is occupied by 1800 souls
Comes Indiana through the smoke
Indiana through the smoke
And this great big buzzing death-hole swells
At the corner of the carpet
Nurses going in and out
Well they all just step around it
And the room is moving in so close
As some moment's coming nearer
And your story's coming out so slow
But I come closer and can hear her
And she steams out Casco Bay
Part of Task Force 58
And the young men 'board her all are brave and bold
Comes Indiana through the smoke
Indiana through the smoke
She won't sink or run aground
She won't turn back, she won't back down
When you find your time to finally let go
Comes Indiana through the smoke
Indiana through the smoke
So does the singing mouth get sung up
So does the new headline no longer reach the town
So does the rosy fire of the horizon fade into dull grey
While the trees out by the parking lot get greener with the rain
On a dazzling field of blue
She comes sailing into view
All around her engines scream and guns unload
Indiana through the smoke
But you were bigger than life
You were giant, you were earth-size
And now you're mostly just your mind
And your dim eyes, and your fractured spine
And you're sailing to the great unknown
But you've gotta go alone there
You can't even take your childhood bride
But it's okay that she's crying
With her OS2U fleet
Anti-aircraft battery
She is occupied by 1800 souls
Comes Indiana through the smoke
Indiana through the smoke
And this great big buzzing death-hole swells
At the corner of the carpet
Nurses going in and out
Well they all just step around it
And the room is moving in so close
As some moment's coming nearer
And your story's coming out so slow
But I come closer and can hear her
And she steams out Casco Bay
Part of Task Force 58
And the young men 'board her all are brave and bold
Comes Indiana through the smoke
Indiana through the smoke
She won't sink or run aground
She won't turn back, she won't back down
When you find your time to finally let go
Comes Indiana through the smoke
Indiana through the smoke
Lyrics © Hipgnosis Songs Group
Written by: Will Robinson Sheff
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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