Away (Okkervil River album)

Away is the eighth studio album by American rock band Okkervil River, released on September 9, 2016.[1] This album is the band's second release on ATO Records, following their previous studio album The Silver Gymnasium.

Away
Studio album by
Okkervil River
ReleasedSeptember 9, 2016 (2016-09-09)
GenreIndie rock
Length57:13
LabelATO
ProducerWill Sheff
Okkervil River chronology
Golden Opportunities 3
(2013)		 Away
(2016)		 In the Rainbow Rain
(2018)

The album features a number of guest artists, including Marissa Nadler, former band member and current Shearwater frontman Jonathan Meiburg, and classical music ensemble yMusic.[2] The album was recorded in New York and mixed by Jonathan Wilson.[3]

The recording of the album came in the wake of a number of professional and personal changes in frontman Will Sheff's life, including changes in backing band members and the death of his grandfather. Sheff described the recording process and the resulting music as follows: "Eventually, I realized I was kind of writing a death story for a part of my life that had, buried inside of it, a path I could follow that might let me go somewhere new."[1]

A video for the album's opening track 'Okkervil River R.I.P' was released on July 6, 2016. The video was directed by Will Sheff and shot in upstate New York.[4]

The album artwork is taken from artist Tom Uttech's painting Nin Maminawendam.[5]

Reception
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic79/100[6]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[7]
The Austin Chronicle[8]
Consequence of SoundB+ [9]
The Guardian [10]
Pitchfork Media7.0/10 [11]
Slant Magazine [12]
Under the Radar8.5/10 [13]

Away received mostly positive reviews. On Metacritic, the album has a score of 79 out of 100 based on 17 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews."[6]

Slant Magazine's David Sackllah called the album "a tremendous achievement that captures sentiments of loss, isolation, and searching for a belonging in a way that only a writer with a keen eye and empathetic nature as Sheff’s could fully articulate."[12] John Everhart of Under the Radar also gave the album a positive review, writing "Away is a comeback album for a band that never really went away, a gorgeous collection of ballads that is the Okkervil River of your dreams."[13] In a mixed review, The Guardian's Harriet Gibsone wrote "A fragmented, frustrated mindset has contributed to a sprawling, inconsistent album with brief flourishes of verdant beauty."[10]

Track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Okkervil River R.I.P."6:41
2."Call Yourself Renee"7:07
3."The Industry"4:31
4."Comes Indiana Through the Smoke"4:45
5."Judey on a Street"7:16
6."She Would Look for Me"7:03
7."Mary on a Wave"5:11
8."Frontman in Heaven"7:44
9."Days Spent Floating (In the Halfbetween)"6:55

Charts
Chart (2016) Peak
position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[14] 132
New Zealand Heatseekers Albums (RMNZ)[15] 10
Scottish Albums (OCC)[16] 62
US Folk Albums (Billboard)[17] 13
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[18] 22
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[19] 22
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[20] 28
US Top Tastemaker Albums (Billboard)[21] 8
US Vinyl Albums (Billboard)[22] 16
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References
  1. Minsker, Evan (May 18, 2016). "Okkervil River Announce New Album Away, Share New Song "Okkervil River R.I.P.": Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
  2. Geslani, Michelle (May 18, 2016). "Okkervil River announce new album, Away, share "Okkervil River R.I.P." — listen". Consequences of Sound. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
  3. "News - album announcement". Okkervil River official website. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
  4. Hilton, Robin (July 6, 2016). "First Watch: Okkervil River, 'Okkervil River R.I.P'". NPR Music. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  5. "Tom Uttech". Alexandre Gallery. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  6. "Reviews for Away by Okkervil River". Metacritic. Retrieved 2016-09-09.
  7. Monger, James Christopher. "Away - Okkervil River - Songs, Albums, Credits, Awards - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  8. Freeman, Doug. "Okkervil River Away (ATO)". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
  9. Heather, Gibsone. "Okkervil River – Away". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
  10. Heather, Gibsone. "Okkervil River: Away review – brimming with chaotic intensity". The Guardian. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
  11. Rytlewski, Evan. "Okkervil River: Away". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
  12. Cataldo, Jesse. "Okkervil River: Away". Slant Magazine. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
  13. Everhart, John. "Okkervil River: Away". Under the Radar. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
  14. "Ultratop.be – Okkervil River – Away" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
  15. "NZ Heatseekers Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. September 19, 2016. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  16. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 17, 2016.
  17. "Okkervil River Chart History (Top Americana/Folk Albums)". Billboard.
  18. "Okkervil River Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard.
  19. "Okkervil River Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard.
  20. "Okkervil River Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard.
  21. "Okkervil River Chart History (Top Tastemaker Albums)". Billboard.
  22. "Okkervil River Chart History (Vinyl Albums)". Billboard.
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