Okkervil River Don't Fall In Love With Everyone You See CD

Marking the point when audiences started to warm up to Okkervil River's delicate yet explosive sound, Don't Fall in Love With Everyone You See foreshadows a band that would soon be capable of the fantastic follow-up Down the River of Golden Dreams, but here, they still sound a bit green. So what if Okkervil River wasn't quite up to snuff at this juncture? They soon would be, the songs hold merit, and aspirations of grandeur snake out and about, most notably in the horn-driven "Lady Liberty." But amidst all of the goodness, Will Sheff's vocals often detract from the listening. During the nine tracks of Don't Fall in Love With Everyone You See, Sheff sometimes seems too desperate to sing the songs with the naturalness they deserve, exuding false confidence in a manner that suggests his discomfort for writing himself out of his vocal range. Although most songs survive this disadvantage -- as in the building opener "Red," where the melody Sheff is aiming at (coupled with a lovely set of lyrics) balances the scale -- this is what keeps Don't Fall in Love With Everyone You See from obtaining the high quality Okkervil River later achieved. ~ Gregory McIntosh

Audio Mixer: Brian Beattie.

Recording information: Yacht Club Fantasy Studios, Austin, TX.

Unknown Contributor Role: Seth Warren .

Okkervil River includes: Will Robinson Sheff (vocals, various instruments); Seth Warren, Zachary Thomas.

Personnel: Zachary Thomas (vocals, mandolin, electric bass); Seth Warren (vocals, drums, spoons); Daniel Johnston, Alice Spencer (vocals); Ethan Azarian (banjo); Scott Blesner (violin); Brian Standefer (cello); Jonathan Meiburg (accordion, Wurlitzer organ, tambourine); Brian Beattie (melodica, organ); Channing Lewis, Alex Arcone (saxophone); Peter Elliot, Michael Crow (trumpet).

Mojo (Publisher) (2/02, p.97) - "...Will Robinson Sheff's first-person narratives create a world full of loves and broken hearts...quality song-writing and storytelling..."