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Okkervil River — Unless It's Kicks
Album: The Stage Names
Avg rating:
5.2

Your rating:
Total ratings: 201









Released: 2007
Length: 4:23
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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What gives this mess some grace unless it's kicks, man
Unless it's fiction, unless it's sweat or it's songs?
What hits against this chest unless it's a sick man's hand
From some mid-level band? He's been driving too long

On a dark windless night, with the stereo on
With the towns flying by and the ground getting soft
And a sound in the sky, coming down from above
It surrounds you and sighs and is whispering of

What pulls your body down, that is quicksand
So climb out quick, hand over hand, 'fore your mouth's all filled up
What picks you up from down unless it's tricks, man?
When I've been fixed I am convinced that I will not get so broke up again

And on a seven day high, that heavenly song
Punches right through my mind and just hums through my blood
And I know it's a lie, but I still give my love
Hey, my heart's on the line for your hands to pluck off, oh

What gives this mess some grace unless it's fictions
Unless it's licks, man, unless it's lies or it's love?
What breaks this heart the most is the ghost of some rock and roll fan
Floating up from the stands with her heart opened up

And I want to tell her, ''"Your love isn't lost,"''
Say, ''"My heart is still crossed!"''
Scream, ''"You're so wonderful!
What a dream in the dark about working so hard, about glowing, so stoned
Trying not to turn off, trying not to believe in that lie all on your own."''
Comments (48)add comment
That was painful to listen to.
Posted 15 years ago by weevilkinevil    [ Reply ]
No, thanks.
Posted 15 years ago by MsJudi    [ Reply ]
MAKE IT STOP!!!!
Posted 15 years ago by Excelsior    [ Reply ]
This song always reminds me of some of the songs on https://www.weebls-stuff.com/ (the guy who was responsible for that "badger, badger, badger" flash video fad, also the "Come to Kenya" flash video fad). I swear... Okkervil River's lead singer sounds like it could be him! Though AFAIK, weeble is a brit, not an aussie. If you feel the need to compare, take a search for some of the "Magical Trevor" series on that site (or the christmas video). Having said all that, I'm still not sure if I like THIS song or not :)
Posted 15 years ago by wildkard    [ Reply ]
Excelsior wrote:
It says a LOT about how bad this singer is, when the song eventually gave way to Jack Johnson, and I breathed a slight sigh of relief. Two seconds later, of course, I muted JJ out of my existence, but still...
LoL, amen brother... JJ should not exist, it an anomaly of the universe, kind of like antimatter. Wait! maybe he is the ANTISINGER! I kind of liked this song though...
Posted 15 years ago by paiasoloco    [ Reply ]
I like how Bill respectfully takes our comments into consideration.....and then continues to play whatever he wants. This song is cool.
Posted 15 years ago by copymonkey    [ Reply ]
It says a LOT about how bad this singer is, when the song eventually gave way to Jack Johnson, and I breathed a slight sigh of relief. Two seconds later, of course, I muted JJ out of my existence, but still...
Posted 15 years ago by Excelsior    [ Reply ]
No kidding. The difference is that at least Rusted Root's singer sounds good within the confines of their music. This is just plain boring from lyrics, vocals and music standpoint. Make it stop. js5280 wrote:
Had to do a double-check to see if this was the Rusted Root lead singer moonlighting, apparently not.
Posted 15 years ago by o2bnsv    [ Reply ]
No sir, don't like it. He really needs to swallow all that spit before he starts wailing.
Posted 15 years ago by Dave_Mack    [ Reply ]
Had to do a double-check to see if this was the Rusted Root lead singer moonlighting, apparently not.
Posted 15 years ago by js5280    [ Reply ]
shakylegs wrote:
Am I the only one who feels the need to have a sneeze guard between themselves and the singer when he's belting out this tune?
A better plan would be a soundproof wall.
Posted 15 years ago by RadioDoc    [ Reply ]
shakylegs wrote:
Am I the only one who feels the need to have a sneeze guard between themselves and the singer when he's belting out this tune?
I'd rather be armed with earplugs!
Posted 15 years ago by Excelsior    [ Reply ]
DigitalJer wrote:
This old fuddy likes it, if you consider late 30's old and fuddy.
I plead the 5th. Oh, wait. You're canadian. Let's just say I decline to respond to that on the grounds that I don't want to get hit with a skillet. :ducks:
Posted 16 years ago by ScottFromWyoming    [ Reply ]
ScottFromWyoming wrote:
I think it's all the young dudes. the old fuddies seem okay with it. 8
This old fuddy likes it, if you consider late 30's old and fuddy.
Posted 16 years ago by DigitalJer    [ Reply ]
First time ever I had to turn off the volume. Bill stop kidding us, please that's not funny!
Posted 16 years ago by Chumbawamba-1984    [ Reply ]
shakylegs wrote:
Am I the only one who feels the need to have a sneeze guard between themselves and the singer when he's belting out this tune?
Nope, not just you. I feel for the front row patrons of their concerts. In addition, this song is quite boring and very standard sounding. I'll be happy when this sound is past its popularity.
Posted 16 years ago by TexasAggies    [ Reply ]
Am I the only one who feels the need to have a sneeze guard between themselves and the singer when he's belting out this tune?
Posted 16 years ago by shakylegs    [ Reply ]
IMGoph wrote:
sounds pretty good.... yet another band that the old fuddies here don't like. too bad.
I think it's all the young dudes. the old fuddies seem okay with it. 8
Posted 16 years ago by ScottFromWyoming    [ Reply ]
Such an awful group.
Posted 16 years ago by Excelsior    [ Reply ]
Not doing it for me... I've heard a lot of hype surrounding these guys, but none of the songs on the album are very good. Just not my style I guess.
Posted 16 years ago by schrodingersdog    [ Reply ]
This guy's voice is so affected, if I ever heard anyone talking like that I'd have to just look and walk away. Feeling pacifistic today.
Posted 16 years ago by iam_overlord    [ Reply ]
I dig. They're coming to town in April w/ the New Pornographers so I'm definitely going to check them out live.
Posted 16 years ago by Jacksonstat    [ Reply ]
teadye wrote:
Hate to rain on the "boomer" parade but I'm 54 and too young to be a boomer.I don't know how we got sucked into that demographic, but they are a few years beyond us, guys. We're the odd bunch that fell in the middle, and IMHO a pretty interesting (if small) group of folks. From younger people related to others of my age group I have learned that one of our characteristics is we somehow never grew up. In fact, most people tell me they have a hard time figuring out how old I am. My son is 30 and our tastes in music are pretty much the same. After a rebellious period in his late teenage years he settled in to a wide-ranging enjoyment of eclectic music. He's just as happy listening to RP as I am, tho he does tend to spend more time making his own mixes and seeking out new artists. I am lazy... I just send Bill money so he can continue to take care of that part for me. I find I can talk music with most age groups as long as they aren't into the current crop of whatever equivalent of "bubblegum" is on tap. I think it's important to understand that there's a quality differential in all genres, including rap and country. In other words some of it is crap and some is great art. Like anything else, sometimes you have to educate yourself to know the difference.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for confirming that I'm not the only one (who apparently never grew up). I'm 56 and not too long ago shocked my step-son who is 25 and now on a destroyer in the Pacific by popping a CD into the changer with a mix on it. The first song was by Everlast and the next by Cake. I think I blew his skivvies off him as he apparently thought that the CD would be Lawrence Welk or Perry Como (I like Perry but Welk is a bit too much half-heimers for my taste). People think I'm 10 to 15 years younger than my calendar age and my wife who is 10 years younger than me is also sometimes amazed at how I can communicate with 60+ somethings and 20+ somethings. I guess those of us in that "limbo" generation just have a flexible mind that allows for adaptability. All I know is that I look for the humor in life but also enjoy the ironic sides.
Posted 16 years ago by lwilkinson    [ Reply ]
O.R. is something of a 'buzz band' around these parts. Local cats and all. I'm still on the fence about their sound, though. c.
Posted 16 years ago by cc_rider    [ Reply ]
I just bumped it up from a 6 to a 7. There's something about this rhythm that has me bouncing in my seat.
Posted 16 years ago by mrcookieface    [ Reply ]
rock & roll lisp - gotta love it.
Posted 16 years ago by ksb    [ Reply ]
Sorry, this is a stinker.
Posted 16 years ago by Alpine    [ Reply ]
don't care for this at all
Posted 16 years ago by MCKY    [ Reply ]
lwilkinson wrote:
Reading some of the comments makes me curious.....anybody have any idea at all what the average "listening age" is on RP. What's the median age, lowest, highest. Seems like there's a really broad mix here.
Who cares, good music sounds like good music whether you are 10 or 90. I am 40ish I really like everything from RadioHead to Spoon to Johnny Cash to Mozart. I am dying to see Porcupine Tree and My Morning Jacket live. Age has nothing to do with music tastes, exposure to different kinds of music effects what people listen too.
Posted 16 years ago by lattalo    [ Reply ]
Out of 18 comments so far, about 3 have anything to do with the song. Back on topic. I'm not particularly fond of the song. I think it's uninteresting and unpleasant. Is that 'cuz I'm old? I don't know. :shrug:
Posted 16 years ago by rtrudeau    [ Reply ]
hey, bub, do you have any idea what my life has been like? sounds like you're really projecting with your "ridiculous college text book" line. and where the hell did anyone mention sex? sounds like someone has some personal issues. and a lot of people have thin skin. lwilkinson wrote:
HEAR, HEAR !!! Old fuddies have learned by actually living life and not reading about it in some ridiculous college text book, that an open mind allows one to explore new possibilities and appreciate more than one form of expressive art. The young didn't invent creative music, nor did they invent sex (even tho' they'd like everyong to believe that they did.)
Posted 16 years ago by IMGoph    [ Reply ]
Hate to rain on the "boomer" parade but I'm 54 and too young to be a boomer.I don't know how we got sucked into that demographic, but they are a few years beyond us, guys. We're the odd bunch that fell in the middle, and IMHO a pretty interesting (if small) group of folks. From younger people related to others of my age group I have learned that one of our characteristics is we somehow never grew up. In fact, most people tell me they have a hard time figuring out how old I am. My son is 30 and our tastes in music are pretty much the same. After a rebellious period in his late teenage years he settled in to a wide-ranging enjoyment of eclectic music. He's just as happy listening to RP as I am, tho he does tend to spend more time making his own mixes and seeking out new artists. I am lazy... I just send Bill money so he can continue to take care of that part for me. I find I can talk music with most age groups as long as they aren't into the current crop of whatever equivalent of "bubblegum" is on tap. I think it's important to understand that there's a quality differential in all genres, including rap and country. In other words some of it is crap and some is great art. Like anything else, sometimes you have to educate yourself to know the difference.
Posted 16 years ago by teadye    [ Reply ]
Reading some of the comments makes me curious.....anybody have any idea at all what the average "listening age" is on RP. What's the median age, lowest, highest. Seems like there's a really broad mix here.
Posted 16 years ago by lwilkinson    [ Reply ]
This works.
Posted 16 years ago by Odyzzeuz    [ Reply ]
Jah, vell I'm 54 and my daughter bought this from iTunes around Christmas time IIRC. I thought it was pretty good. I have always tried to help encourage her to not get stuck in any certain genre. For a while she had to ‘rebel against the establishment and the {old}man.' She borrowed, bought, and probably stole a lot of "bad nasty Chicagoganstanigga rap CD's" there was one tune in particular that she seemed to repeat a lot. When I asked her what it was about she said it was a "love song between a black man and his white girlfriend." I have to admit it had a fairly nice drum loop and the progression wasn't to bad but the words were shite. There was what must have been a chorus that repeated three or four times and went something like "Yo bitch you trick wit ma frinds wen ‘ah saz or I pop a cap on yo fat white azz" After I explained what that meant suddenly there was no mo rap in the house. Oh I've got some "whiteboy rap" by the blood hound gang but that hardly qualifies as rap so I'm told. One day a year or so later some of her friends stopped over to soak up some airconditioning and all the soda in the house. One of the guys sat in my chair here in front of the computer. I'd been burning some Web Wilder disks for a friend at work and still had the burner software open. The young fellow decided to play my burn list. He was agog that I had such awesome music on my computer. He decided to open the media player to see if I had several many kilobytes of country stashed somewhere on the HD or not and was again agog that there is little to no country on here. What is here is my daughters. To some Web Wilder is country but I prefer to call it what Web does "swampadillick" If I can figure out how to do it I will attempt to upload some Web since I have yet to hear any on this site.
Posted 16 years ago by Grizzly_old_man    [ Reply ]
robco1 wrote:
Yeah, but remember we had the same silly attitudes when we were his age . . .
I'm Bloody 13, and I also enjoy Good music. I realize that most kids don't. my generation is listening to shit on a stick covered in screaming and voice distortion. Check out the top 5 iTunes downloads
Posted 16 years ago by Tailypoe    [ Reply ]
More Okkervil on RP....Awesome!!! Thanks Mr DJ...You should really play anything off Black Sheep Boy for the best OR Experience
Posted 16 years ago by Monster    [ Reply ]
lwilkinson wrote:
HEAR, HEAR !!! Old fuddies have learned by actually living life and not reading about it in some ridiculous college text book, that an open mind allows one to explore new possibilities and appreciate more than one form of expressive art. The young didn't invent creative music, nor did they invent sex (even tho' they'd like everyong to believe that they did.)
Yeah, but remember we had the same silly attitudes when we were his age . . .
Posted 16 years ago by robco1    [ Reply ]
IMGoph wrote:
sounds pretty good.... yet another band that the old fuddies here don't like. too bad.
Well, I'm 40 and I find it quite likeable. Am I an "old fuddy?" Don't mess with your elders, dude! You'll be here sooner than you think . . .
Posted 16 years ago by robco1    [ Reply ]
RadioDoc wrote:
At 50 I qualify as an "old fuddie" and I can assure you that age (young or old) is not a qualification for musical taste. Some of the young 'uns here are amazingly myopic when it comes to their breadth of appreciation, let alone tolerance, of new or unknown musical styles. Not that it matters. I'll continue to enjoy it all regardless of what they think.
HEAR, HEAR !!! Old fuddies have learned by actually living life and not reading about it in some ridiculous college text book, that an open mind allows one to explore new possibilities and appreciate more than one form of expressive art. The young didn't invent creative music, nor did they invent sex (even tho' they'd like everyong to believe that they did.)
Posted 16 years ago by lwilkinson    [ Reply ]
RadioDoc wrote:
At 50 I qualify as an "old fuddie" and I can assure you that age (young or old) is not a qualification for musical taste. Some of the young 'uns here are amazingly myopic when it comes to their breadth of appreciation, let alone tolerance, of new or unknown musical styles. Not that it matters. I'll continue to enjoy it all regardless of what they think.
Amen my boomer brother!
Posted 16 years ago by tompoll    [ Reply ]
IMGoph wrote:
sounds pretty good.... yet another band that the old fuddies here don't like. too bad.
At 50 I qualify as an "old fuddie" and I can assure you that age (young or old) is not a qualification for musical taste. Some of the young 'uns here are amazingly myopic when it comes to their breadth of appreciation, let alone tolerance, of new or unknown musical styles. Not that it matters. I'll continue to enjoy it all regardless of what they think.
Posted 16 years ago by RadioDoc    [ Reply ]
sounds pretty good.... yet another band that the old fuddies here don't like. too bad.
Posted 16 years ago by IMGoph    [ Reply ]
Ugh. This is giving me a headache. *mute*
Posted 16 years ago by Kristi    [ Reply ]
To quote a famous movie line: "I heard something that sounded like that once. Then we rolled it over and it was dead." This syncopated whining/scream made me reach for the mute and yell please stop! That doesn't happen too often, thankfully.
Posted 16 years ago by MidLyfe    [ Reply ]
Not my kind of stuff.
Posted 16 years ago by Welly    [ Reply ]
Good album, but it's tough to beat the genius of Black Sheep Boy. Either way, it's good to hear some OR.
Posted 16 years ago by tomville    [ Reply ]
Just bought this album on iTunes this weekend. What a surprise to hear it here! Good song, good album.
Posted 16 years ago by winter    [ Reply ]