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 Blonde in the Bleachers
Okkervil River Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Above the loudspeakers, you start to fall
She follows you home, but you miss living alone
You can still hear sweet mysteries calling you
The bands and the roadies
Lovin' 'em and leavin' 'em
It's a pleasure to try 'em
'Cause it seems like you gotta give up such a piece of your soul when you give up the chase
Feeling it hot and cold
You're in rock'n'roll, it's the nature of the race
It's the unknown child, so sweet and wild
It's youth, it's too good to waste
She tapes her regrets to the microphone stand
She says, "You can't hold the hand of a rock'n'roll man
Or count on your plans with a rock'n'roll man
(For very long)
Compete with the fans for your rock'n'roll man
(For very long)
The girls and the bands and the rock'n'roll man"
The song "The Blonde in the Bleachers" by Okkervil River speaks about the struggle of a rockstar with his love life. The blonde in the bleachers is a metaphorical representation of all the love interests that the rockstar attracts. The girl in question is attractive and flirts with the singer of the song. However, despite her interest, the singer acknowledges that he might miss living alone. The lyrics suggest that the singer is juggling a love life with a fulfilling career in rock and roll. This creates a tension within the singer, and he is unsure about what he wants.
The song also touches on the fleeting nature of love in a rockstar's life. The lines "Lovin' 'em and leavin' 'em/ It's a pleasure to try 'em/ It's trouble to keep 'em" point towards the transience of a rockstar's relationships. The singer is torn between the thrill of love and the burden of maintaining a relationship. The chorus of the song tells us that being in rock and roll means sacrificing a part of oneself, and the unknown child represents youth and the reckless abandon that comes with it. The singer is at a crossroads in his life where he has to choose between settling down or chasing the untamed spirit of youth.
Line by Line Meaning
The blonde in the bleachers, she flips her hair for you
There's a girl who catches your attention at the game, and she's trying to impress you by flipping her hair
Above the loudspeakers, you start to fall
Despite the noise and chaos of the game, you find yourself falling for this girl
She follows you home, but you miss living alone
You're intrigued by this girl, but you also enjoy your independence and alone time
You can still hear sweet mysteries calling you
Although you're drawn to this girl and the excitement of the rock'n'roll lifestyle, you're also intrigued by the mysteries of life and what else is out there
The bands and the roadies
The music industry and the people who make it happen
Lovin' 'em and leavin' 'em
The cycle of quickly falling in and out of love with people in the industry
It's a pleasure to try 'em
There's a thrill in experiencing new relationships and encounters
It's trouble to keep 'em
However, it's difficult to maintain these relationships and keep them going
Cause it seems like you gotta give up such a piece of your soul when you give up the chase
You feel like you have to sacrifice a piece of yourself when you settle down with someone and stop chasing after new experiences
Feeling it hot and cold
You experience a range of emotions when it comes to relationships - both positive and negative
You're in rock'n'roll, it's the nature of the race
Being involved in the music industry comes with its own set of challenges and rewards
It's the unknown child, so sweet and wild
The music industry is full of unknowns, but there's a certain excitement and rebelliousness to it
It's youth, it's too good to waste
Being young and involved in the music industry feels like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and you don't want to waste it
She tapes her regrets to the microphone stand
The girl in the bleachers has her own regrets and struggles that she's dealing with
She says, "You can't hold the hand of a rock'n'roll man
The girl knows that relationships with people in the music industry are fleeting and often don't last
Or count on your plans with a rock'n'roll man (For very long)
Trying to make long-term plans with someone in the music industry is difficult and often doesn't work out
Compete with the fans for your rock'n'roll man (For very long)
Fans are a constant presence in the music industry, and it can be hard to maintain a relationship when you have to constantly compete with them for attention
The girls and the bands and the rock'n'roll man
There are a lot of competing factors and personalities in the music industry that can make it difficult to maintain relationships
Contributed by Miles Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
mushroomagicman
yuk...
berry nutter
Sorry not enough soul.