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)

Mary on a Wave
Okkervil River Lyrics

Coal-black virgin spinning
Above an open ocean
I hear, I feel, I need, I know
Seven sailors swimming, shipwrecked
Seven smudgy mirrors
You gotta let 'em go

Well I checked out the royal place
Saw the babies all bathed in champagne
So many miles of dirt I traveled

Just to park here in your shade

Borne away on a wave of love
Borne away on a wave

Well they picked poor Robin clean
In the shadow ravine
I seen the bones, I seen his teeth
Well, it's scrawled upon the streets
Our enemy's victory's complete
And they'll be coming to collect within the next few hundred weeks

I get a little soft shiver in my shoulder
Cause I think there's someone watching
I get a little soft whistle in my ears now
But I guess it's just time passing

Borne away on a wave of love
Borne away on a wave

Blessed blue-black virgin shifting
In the ocean's rhythm
Partly living tissue, partly always hidden
Give me strength & vision
Watch over the earth
It's listing, lady, like it's almost broken
Are my eyes now closed or opened?

Our parents are fading out, fading out, fading out
Into the fuzzy fuzz
"I can't", I gasp, I gasp and pant
I can't get enough air into my lungs
I see the bald head of a vulture
Come cresting up the stairs
Time holds me, greenish-brown
And dying, in a studio somewhere

Borne away on a wave of love
And it's all for you, girl
Borne away on a wave

Lyrics © Hipgnosis Songs Group

Written by: WILL SHEFF

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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