Okkervil River – The Stage Names
I couldn’t love a song more if a heavenly angel wrote it with a perfected instrument from God himself. Which, honestly, I’m not entirely certain HASN’T happened here. As with Frog Eyes, Will Sheff’s voice will crush your heart until you’re a puddle of emotions just utterly devoured by this song. Sheff has completely ripped out his soul on this album and he’s handing it over to us with a poignant misery. But in “Love to a Monster” he gets a bit cheeky and a lot vindictive, taking back a little of his power. There are moments of clarity–break-throughs–during which you think, “Okay, yea! Let’s do this.” And then there are other moments, more reflective moments (something Okkervil River has perfected) during which you want to weep and call up the band asking how they knew exactly what you were feeling right that moment. Here’s the thing, you guys: it’s a damn near perfect song. From the lyrics to the raw emotion, to the deeply saddening horns section, and lower than low ending…it’s daring and very, very real. And though there is a certain arrogance to the song, if you listen closely, all you hear is a need for survival.