Storia Di Musica #321 - Okkervil River, The Stage Names, 2007

Fino a 15 giorni fa non conoscevo questo gruppo, e la sua storia variegata e spassosa. Non conoscevo ovviamente nemmeno il loro modo di fare musica, che mi ha colpito davvero tanto. Will Sheff, voce e chitarra, Zach Thomas al basso e al mandolino e Seth Warren alla batteria sono tre amici sin dal tempo del liceo, e vivono nel New Hampshire. Si trasferiscono dopo il college ad Austin, in Texas, e mettono su una band: prendono nome dal titolo di un racconto di Tat'jana Nikitična Tolstaja (che discende da un ramo minore dei Tolstoj), contenuto nella raccolta Sotto Il Portico Dorato, che si intitola Sul Fiume Okkervil, che è un breve fiume che passa per San Pietroburgo: Okkervil River. Siamo a fine anni '90 del '900 e i nostri registrarono un album autoprodotto composto da sette canzoni intitolato Stars Too Small To Use. Iniziano a fare concerti, la band si allarga (Jonathan Meiburg alla fisarmonica e poi all'organo). Nel 2002 la famosa etichetta indipendente Jagjaguwar li mette sotto contratto: Seth Warren abbandona per seguire la carriera accademica a Berkely e viene sostituito da Mark Pedini alla batteria. Nello stesso anno pubblicano il loro primo LP, Don't Fall In Love With Everyone You See. Un anno dopo si spostano a San Francisco, Warren ritorna in gruppo, e pubblicano Down The River Of Golden Dreams. La band ha continui cambi di formazione, ma raggiunge una certa forma quando Travis Nelsen sostituisce Pedini alla batteria e si aggiunge un altro chitarrista, Howard Draper. Con questa formazione, nel 2005, pubblicano il loro lavoro più riuscito, che li fa conoscere in maniera decisiva anche oltre la scena indipendente: Black Sheep Boy è osannato dalla critica e vende benissimo per un disco indipendente, tanto che la band lo pubblica nel 2006 anche in Europa e ne fa uscire un mini EP in accompagnato, Black Sheep Boy Appendix. Zach Thomas esce dal gruppo e viene sostituito da Pat Pestorius. Il suono è un folk rock ricco, delicato, gioioso ma sono le idee dei testi di Sheff che stupiscono, in una sorta di costruzione di musica cabaret dove il racconto, a volte stucchevole, di ciò che succede intorno a lui è il fulcro della musica degli Okkervil River. E prova maestra è il disco di oggi, uscito nell'Agosto del 2007 e quasi da subito un classico della musica indipendente.

The Stages Names è, come suggerisce il titolo, una riflessione ironica e senza peli sulla lingua sull'essere un'artista e sulle storie che l'esserlo nasconde. Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe prende in giro il già allora evidente e potente ingigantimento di qualsiasi cosa succeda nella vita di chiunque, o per meglio dire, la voglia di rendere le cose della vita molto più drammatiche o epiche di quello che sono (It's just a life story, so there's no climax\No more new territory, so pull away the IMAX). Unless It's Kicks è una analisi sul rapporto artista fan, A Hand To Take Hold Of The Scene è la prima genialata, infatti è una canzone che racconta della trama di due programmi TV, Cold Case (famoso anche in italiana, sulla squadra dell'FBI chiamata a risolvere i casi irrisolti di anni precedenti) e Breaking Bonaduce (una sorta di documentario su Danny Bonaduce, famoso attore bambino degli anni'70, che raccontava dei suoi problemi familiari da adulto) in cui furono usate canzoni della band (in Cold Case Black Sheep Boy). Savannah Smiles è la storia di Shannon Wilsey, famosa pornostar americana, che prese il suo nome d'arte da un film, Savannah Smiles del 1982: la sua è una storia tragica, poichè dopo un incidente stradale dove rimase sfregiata, decise di suicidarsi per non essere vista "brutta". Plus Ones è un piccolo capolavoro: l'espressione indica nelle liste dei concerti le aggiunte che gli ospiti dei backstage hanno per le entrate, ed è un testo quasi non sense che aggiunge uno o più unità a famosi titoli di canzoni: ? and the Mysterian che scrissero 96 Tears diventano 97, le 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover di Paul Simon diventano 51 e così via, citando anche i The Byrds di Eight Miles High, i R.E.M. di 7 Chinese Bros., David Bowie in TVC15 ed altri. You Can't Hold The Hand Of A Rock And Roll Man cita nel titolo un testo di una canzone di Joni Mitchell, Blonde In The Bleachers, e cita nel testo un quadro di Marchel Duchamp, La Sposa Messa A Nudo Dai Suoi Scapoli, Anche. John Allyn Smith Sails è dedicata alla vita e al suicidio del poeta confessionale John Berryman (originariamente John Allyn Smith). La canzone si conclude rielaborando la tradizionale canzone popolare Sloop John B (resa famosa dai Beach Boys), paragonando la morte a un viaggio di ritorno a casa. Non posso non citare anche Title Track (che cita Hollywood Babylonia di Kenneth Anger) e la toccante A Girl In Port, canzoni misteriosa e dolente. Le canzoni hanno una gioiosa musicalità e il disco va persino in classifica su Billboard. Will Sheff si mostra un cantautore davvero poliedrico e la band gira a mille, usando spesso solo strumenti acustici (tranne in Title Track e poche altre occasioni). Un piccolo gioiello scoperto in questo mese di Aprile, che con la seconda copertina capite benissimo a cosa è dedicato (almeno spero....)

If you love me, let me live in peace

Love Is Where All Of Us Belong

A GentleBeard Mix

Spotify and YouTube versions!

Inspired by Stede Bonnet and Edward Teach, and the music of Our Flag Means Death

31 songs, 1hr 48mins without ads

I finished this playlist last year, and decided to share it as we await season 2!

An asterisk indicates a song is from the original soundtrack. These songs form our core sound for this mix. My usual ship mixes tend to be a touch… chaotic. But I wanted this one to feel seamless with the established sound of the series. Now let’s set sail on the seas of love!

“I suppose if you found the absolutely two perfect people... then they could potentially... Co-captain?” ~ Stede Bonnet

*A Pirate’s Life – Joel Fry ‘Oh, a pirate’s life sounds just right. Sounds quite nice.’ I had to include Frenchie’s little ditty about pirating as our opener.

Lost Coastlines – Okkervil River ‘The ship's deck now sags from the weight of our tracks. As we pace beneath flags black and battered.’ I kinda stumbled across this one by accident. But it has a great ‘setting off on an adventure’ sound to it that I really like, and it goes well with our sound and lyrical imagery.

*Miles From Nowhere – Yusuf/Cat Stevens 'Cause I know when I find it, my honey. It's gonna make me feel good.’ Probably one of my favorite songs from the soundtrack. Working on this mix I have discovered I really love our boy, Cat Stevens. Expect to hear more from him in the near future.

Soul of the Sea – Heart ‘You dreamer in the sand. Just lie there laughing ‘til the fall.’ When I saw Heart had a song on the Dreamboat Annie album called Soul of the Sea I was like, “Oh, this is gonna be good.” And I was not wrong. I love the ocean sounds on the track, and the theme of casting your sorrows to the sea.

The Sundown – Ennio Morricone Since Il Triello was on the original soundtrack, we had to have some Morricone up in here. I love the calm before the storm feeling this song has.

*The Empty Boat – Caetano Veloso This one is just a vibe, and a really important song for sound in this mix. The guitar, the maracas, the uneasy feeling of the discordant instruments that builds up to that jazzy vibe. Perfection.

*Perfect Day – Lou Reed ‘You made me forget myself. I thought I was someone else. Someone good.’ This song really has that happy lyrics/sad feeling vibe that is very disconcerting to listen to. The part of the show where it plays is just SO SAD, and I think the highlighted lyric really hits how Ed’s relationship with Stede makes him feel like a better person than he thinks he is.

“This is who I am, Stede. Can you see me now? You were always gonna realize what I am." ~ Edward Teach

Trouble – Yusuf/Cat Stevens ‘I've seen your eyes. And I can see death's disguise. Hangin' on me.’ The concept of ‘death’s disguise’ and how it relates to Ed’s Blackbeard persona, and by extension the Kraken, really hit the spot for me. Plus this song just has a ‘beat up by life’ vibe that is great.

*Locomotive Breath – Jethro Tull ‘No way to slow down.’ What is it about Locomotive Breath that makes it sound like a self-destructive spiral?

Love Calls You by Your Name – Leonard Cohen ‘Your body lost in legend. The beast so very tame. But here, right here. Between the birthmark and the stain. Between the ocean and your open vein... Love calls you by your name’ The guitar work that Leonard is doing on this album is impeccable. I’m too emotionally scarred by Avalanche to include it on this mix, but I had to include something from Songs of Love and Hate on here.

Beacon Hill – Damien Jurado ‘And if you return to me, oh, if you return to me. It's all right, baby.’ This song captures the feeling of wanting someone to come home, but knowing they won’t be the same that feels very appropriate for this ship.

String Reprise/Treaty – Leonard Cohen ‘I wish there was a treaty. Between your love and mine.’ Did someone order a plate of forgiveness and reconciliation?

Pastoral II – Moondog I discovered that Moondog is primarily a composer, and the album that High on a Rocky Ledge is from is one of his few lyrical ventures. I love how soft this piece is; it gives me big Stede vibes.

“How does it feel to be in love?” “It feels... easy? It's just like breathing... I hope you find that.” “I think I have.” “Really? What's her name?” “Ed. His name is Ed.” ~ Stede and Mary Bonnet

Throw Me Now Your Arms –Damien Jurado ‘Let me be the one at day's end. Who you can depend on, hand in hand.’ I don’t think I have the words to fully express how much I love this song and how much it had to be here. The imagery in the lyrics is just so spot on.

*High on a Rocky Ledge – Moondog ‘If you've the yen to pluck, then pluck us both. For we who have lived as one wish to die as one.’ This song has such a lovely, soft, fairytale-esque vibe. Also, the lyrics about sacrificing yourself to be with the one you love turn out to be super relevant to our pairing.

Time Has Told Me – Nick Drake ‘And time will tell you. To stay by my side. To keep on trying. 'Til there's no more to hide.’ Nick Drake is another one of my happy discoveries while building this mix. His voice, and the guitar, is just so good.

*The Chain – Fleetwood Mac ‘And if you don't love me now. You will never love me again.’ The almighty. The holy of holies. The song which 80% of the fanfiction for this series draws its titles from. One of unquestionably the best sequences in show, and an all-around banger.

Wild World – Yusuf/Cat Stevens ‘If you gotta leave take good care. Hope you have a lot of nice things to wear. Then a lot of nice things turn bad out there.’ This song is SO SASSY. It reminds me of all the shit everyone gives Stede about not being realistic or prepared to be a pirate. I love the dig about ‘nice things to wear’, especially for our clothes horse Captain Bonnet.

Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye – Leonard Cohen ‘I'm not looking for another as I wander in my time.’ ‘You know my love goes with you as your love stays with me. It's just the way it changes, like the shoreline and the sea.’ I can’t begin to describe to absolute hair-pulling experience it was looking for something soft and romantic in Leonard Cohen’s discography. But Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye came through in a BIG way.

(Love Me Like Music) I’ll Be Your Song – Heart ‘Can you feel the light shine. You know this song's yours and mine.’ Sometimes when life gets hard, you gotta reconnect with that loving feeling.

Take A Chance On Me – ABBA ‘Let me tell you now. My love is strong enough to last when things are rough. It's magic.’ I don’t know if it’s the lasting impact of Mamma Mia on my psyche, but ABBA is perfect on any ship mix. Whatever the vibe is, they have you covered. And Take A Chance On Me is the perfect ‘take me back, we belong together’ song.

"There. Look at that. You wear fine things well." ~ Stede Bonnet

Gnossienne No. 5 (Arr. For Guitar) – Erik Satie, Sebastian Llinares Known in the fandom as the ‘Fine Things Motif’, this piece plays during Ed and Stede’s romantic moments together. I was VERY excited to find this guitar arrangement since it plays so nicely with the rest of the music on this mix.

Don’t Be Shy – Yusuf/Cat Stevens ‘Love is better than a song. Love is where all of us belong.’ Ah, the namesake for this playlist. This is one of my corner-stone, cannot live without songs on this playlist. It’s so soft and perfect.

This Magic Moment – Lou Reed ‘And then it happened. It took me by surprise. I knew that you felt it too. By the look in your eyes’ Is that sexual tension? In my playlist? *gasp*

“These past few weeks have been the most fun I've had in ages, years, maybe ever. So, I reckon what makes Ed happy is... you.” ~ Edward Teach

Everywhere – Fleetwood Mac ‘Something's happening. Happening to me. My friends say I'm acting peculiarly.’ ‘I want to be with you everywhere.’ The song that started us down this road. I was listening to Fleetwood Mac, trying to un-stick The Chain from my brain, when this came on and I went, “What if I made a ship mix?” And here we are.

Dreamboat Annie (Fantasy Child) – Heart ‘Little ship of dreams.’ It’s silly but this just always makes me think of the Revenge sailing off into the sunset.

Reasons For Waiting – Jethro Tull ‘Came a thousand miles. Just to catch you while you're smiling.’ You know, when Jethro Tull can chill with the flute just a little, they can make some pretty freaking beautiful music. This song has big, sexy energy to me. Making out in the afternoon sun. Just warm and tingly and lovely.

*Our Prayer – The Beach Boys I’ll let you decide what I was thinking when I put this song here…

The Air That I Breathe – The Hollies ‘If I could make a wish. I think I'd pass.’ If this isn’t soft, sweet, love-making music, then I don’t know what is honestly. It just has that post-coital bliss sound to it. Plus, if that highlighted lyric doesn’t scream pure contentment, what does?

When All Is Said and Done – ABBA ‘It's so strange when you're down and lying on the floor. How you rise, shake your head, get up and ask for more.’ I was so excited to discover that this was originally a fast-paced song. It’s SO MUCH BETTER than the slowed down version they have in Mamma Mia. I thought it’d be nice to come towards a close with a song about looking back on adventures with the ones we love, and looking forward to what’s to come.

Candle On The Water – Okkervil River ‘Look for me, reaching out to show. As sure as rivers flow. I'll never let you go.’ Is it one of my playlists without an end credit song? I should think not. I had to include Candle On The Water on this playlist; the lighthouse imagery played in too beautifully with Stede and the symbology around his character. And, it would seem I’m totally incapable of making a playlist without at least one Disney song, so this fulfills my quota :’D

Thank you for listening! I hope you’ve enjoyed our musical journey with Blackbeard and the Gentleman Pirate! Until next time!

Pretty sure yesterday would've been Travis Nelsen's 48th birthday. He was a whole vibe

Listening to Otis Redding at Home During Christmas [Austin, 2007] by Okkervil River

Your dad says you're living in Georgia since last September Yeah, well "I've got dreams, dreams to remember" "I've got dreams, dreams to remember" "I've got dreams, dreams to remember" Oh Sara, come back to New Hampshire, we'll stay there forever

Imagine a river, massive and galloping beneath your feet

Okkervil River, "Call Yourself Renee" / Linden Frederick, "Picture Window"

I am seeing music performed tonight! And it’s by one of my favorites!

Will Sheff’s “solo” album is so much better, IMO, than the last two records he put out as Okkervil River. And I’m super excited to see him tonight.

Blanket and Crib // Okkervil River // Down The River Of Golden Dreams (2003)

I could claim that it all would go great, but the reason I came Is to say that it won’t

Will Sheff (formerly Okkervil River)

The Cedar Cultural Center

Minneapolis, MN

November 4th, 2022

My hands meet, and they press to a point in the air But my mouth fills with more panic than prayer And my skull fills with more color than care And my heart fills with love, with too much love to bear And I know that I'll stay, and that she'll always be there

Black - Okkervil River