Okkervil River
The Stand Ins
Jagjaguwar/ Spunk/ EMI


This album, a literal sequel to last years' 'The Stage Names' is packed full of catchy, upbeat and exceptionally literate songs, as would be expected by now from Will Sheff and co. However, there's something fundamentally lacking in this new effort - it'll take you a few listens to discover exactly what it is because you'll be so taken by the catchiness of the whole exercise, but it's there.

In the past, every Okkervil album was fairly consistent with a couple of truly outstanding tracks. 'The Stand Ins' is much more solidly consistent, but is lacking any true 'Stand Outs' (oh, dear). The majesty and graciousness the band displayed on 'Black Sheep Boy' and (to a slightly lesser degree) 'The Stage Names' is pretty much absent here - there's no standout like For Real or A Girl In Port.

Additionally, while 'The Stand Ins' follows through thematically far better than its predecessor (both are primarily regarding the trappings of fame), the content seems a little forced and at times trite. Early highlight Singer Songwriter evokes the themes nicely, with its love song/ character story and clever lyrics, however by the time you've hit closing track Bruce Wayne Campbell Interviewed On The Roof Of The Chelsea Hotel, 1979, the whole exercise has worn a little thin. It's not all bad though - opener Lost Coastlines is fantastic, a story of the trials and tribulations involved in keeping a band together, sung with true passion by Sheff and collaborator Jonathan Meiburg.

Don't get me wrong, 'The Stand Ins' is still an album of solid Okkervil tunes, it just lacks the brilliance of earlier efforts. Let's hope it gets them the exposure that they need so that they can get back to making truly great albums, as opposed to just pretty good ones.

Patrick Lang