Our Life Is Not a POLL or Maybe: Okkervil River Studio Albums

I think they were finding their way with the first two records and really hit their stride with Black Sheep Boy. The Stage Names is the one for me though.

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never saw this poll but love this band.

Black Sheep Boy is the correct answer.

Have only got BSB and TSN. Both pretty good. The latter more consistent. Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe vs Black tbh, although BSB also has SCB,IW to recommend it. Not sure. May give both albums a listen later.

Do not understand this band's appeal. At all.

im a big fan of down the river of golden dreams

though these are all good

i have loved this band over the years and think the order goes something like this:

1. Black Sheep Boy
2. Down the River of Golden Dreams
3. The Stand Names
4. The Stand Ins

and don't know the other.

Black Sheep Boy has "For Real" and "A Stone" and then throw in "Black" = by far their best album, IMO.

Voted Black Sheep but I wanted to point out that Don't Fall in Love has "Westfall" and "Red" on it

Black Sheep Boy has "For Real" and "A Stone" and then throw in "Black" = by far their best album, IMO.

― Bee OK, Wednesday, August 5, 2009 10:44 PM (40 minutes ago)

also "a king and a queen"!!!

either black sheep boy or stage names, don't know the first two and the new one totally bummed me out

gotta say, this band meant a lot to me when i was 17-18, though i havent listened to them in a while. when theyre on theyre fire

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It's been a steady decline since Black Sheep Boy for me. Don't Fall In Love also has "Okkervil River Song" which is great

Black Sheep Boy is a pantheon-level 00s indie album for me. It’s such a raw nerve and almost too sad. I have to be careful not to listen to it during transitory periods in my life, or I’ll break down.

The ones that stick with me the most are For Real, Black, A King and a Queen, SCBIW, and especially The Latest Toughs

I can definitely see that, just relistened yesterday prompted by your post and it is a great album - All the Latest Toughs such a great song

of these I prefer The Stand Ins but Away has become their towering masterpiece for me

every fall I relisten to Away and reconfirm that it's their best album and generally the great undersung achievement of modern indiedom

I went digging for bootlegs because I was sad I missed them touring that record and found this excellent live recording on their YouTube page, which features their incredible lineup from the album and also includes a touching story explaining "Comes Indiana Through the Smoke" that's worth catching. Apparently features the only-ever live performance of "Frontman in Heaven" which blows my mind. I also love the 10-11 minute versions of "Judey on a Street" that are kicking around on archive.org.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fm6pbfyf5nk

And for the Black Sheep Boy stans, that recording concludes with something I didn't think was even possible: an upbeat take on "So Come Back, I Am Waiting"

I listen to that album every week of the year it is perfection

thanks for the vid will watch

So this thread lead me to Judey on a Street and for this, I am truly thankful. I like the Stage Names a good deal and should investigate this band further.

I like TSN a lot but it's maybe their....fourth-best album?

yeah i prefer the earlier ones and Away, which would be my #1 vote today

Nah TSN is their best

Since this thread was revived I have gone back to Away. I thought it was brilliant when I first got it but went off it quite quickly. Now, listening again with slightly older ears, I have reverted to my initial opinion. Something about it places it alongside Veedon Fleece for me although, obviously, with an Americana rather than Irish folk feel. Maybe it's the meandering nature of the songs that feel almost like trains of thought put to music. I suspect that, much like Veedon Fleece, Away will grow in stature over the years.

I hope so. I think a lot of their fans just want Sheff to do another angst-ridden indie rock record but that's just so clearly not where he's at anymore. (Which is a good thing, going by the circumstances in which BSB was recorded.)

stage names was my favorite of theirs until away came out. it seemed a little more refined and clear and precise than black sheep boy, which, much as i love it, can be a little overbearing

away is in another universe of quality entirely imo, a masterpiece that should be appearing on decade lists

I suspect if it had come out immediately following BSB or TSN it would have been (correctly) heralded as such

How did we feel about The Silver Gymnasium? That's the only one since BSB I've missed, I think (and the album with Roky)

The concept was great but I didn't think the songs were there, excepting Down Down the Deep River and All the Time Every Day which are real keepers.

I like the opener and "Pink Slips" and yeah the concept, but not a fan of the sound as a whole

i like silver gymnasium it's got some v good songs on it

id rate it slightly under stage names i think

Have you ever been just head over heels for a song, but never see it praised online/in the media like you think it should be?

That's how I feel about "Red". I see it mentioned as a solid track, or an album highlight, but I think it will always be my absolute favorite OR.

that's how I feel about "Hanging from a Hit"