Okkervil River is an indie rock band from Austin, Texas. Formed in 1998, the band takes its name from a short story by Russian author Tatyana Tolstaya. They self-released their first album, Stars Too Small to Use, which led them to the South by Southwest music festival. After recording their first album in a garage, they signed with Jagjaguwar. Okkervil River continued by releasing three more albums, including critically lauded concept album Black Sheep Boy.[1]
After a period of touring for Black Sheep Boy, Okkervil River followed up with The Stage Names. The album sold 10,000 in its opening week in the United States. The group released a free album, Golden Opportunities Mixtape from their live performances.
The band has garnered positive critical reception. Especially noted are each song΄s lyrics, intricate instrumentation, and thematic albums.[2] In addition, they were recently featured on the talk show Late Night with Conan O΄Brien and have performed with high profile bands such as The Decemberists, The New Pornographers, and Lou Reed.