Okkervil River
Mermaid EP
Jagjaguwar

Will Sheff and his Okkervil River boys are ready with a new album, I Am Very Far, from which "Mermaid" is culled. "Mermaid" is actually the band's first single in two years. Not that they've been lazy and up to nothing: last year saw them as Roky Erickson's backing-band on his big comeback album (as well as Sheff being the producer), True Love Cast Out All Evil.

Through their strong three-in-a-row line of albums; Black Sheep Boy, plus the Black Sheep Boy Appendix EP (2005), The Stage Names (2007) and The Stand Ins (2008) - the latter being The Stage Names' sequel as The Stage Names originally had some many songs written for it it was supposed two be a double-album - they built quite a reputation. It'll now be interesting to check their next move, I Am Very Far. Both "Mermaid" and "Walked Out On a Line" are slow, quiet songs. The latter is a bit punchier, and both tracks present elegance and style. "Mermaid" starts with Sheff's voice and a piano, before growing and expanding itself, adding strings and rich orchestration on the way. "Walked Out On a Line" starts with Sheff's voice and the bass, before the rest of the band eventually joins in. Both tracks are proof of an upcoming album of a certain quality, once again showing Sheff as a musical 'gourmet sheff'.

Copyright © 2011 Håvard Oppøyen