The Stand Ins is the fifth full-length studio album by American indie rock band Okkervil River, released on September 9, 2008.Okkervil River Reveal Full Details of The Stand Ins (Pitchfork Media) The album is the second half of The Stage Names, a planned double album. The title comes from the term 'stand-in', a person who substitutes for the actor before filming for technical purposes. If the cover art for The Stage Names is placed above that of The Stand-Ins, a complete picture is formed. The album charted at #42 with 11,000 copies sold, according to the Billboard 200.
Shearwater's Jonathan Meiburg and guitarist Charles Bissell of The Wrens contributed to the album.
Overview Conceived as a companion piece to The Stage Names, The Stand Ins continued the band's preoccupation with pop culture, celebrity suicide, and life as a musician. The track "Lost Coastlines", which features a duet with Shearwater's Jonathan Meiburg, deals with trying to keep the band together despite the band's constant touring. "Starry Stairs" depicts the life and suicide of porn star Shannon Wilsey.Howe, Sean. The Stand Ins Review. Entertainment Weekly. 16 September 2008. Retrieved 20 June 2011 The final track on The Stand Ins, "Bruce Wayne Campbell Interviewed on the Roof of the Chelsea Hotel, 1979," details the career and disillusionment of glam rock musician Bruce Wayne Campbell (better known as Jobriath).Monger, James. The Stand Ins - Okkervil River. Allmusic. Retrieved 20 June 2011
Reception
The Stand Ins has received positive reviews. The album currently has a score of 78 out of 100 on the review aggregate site Metacritic, indicating "generally favorable reviews".Critic Reviews for The Stand Ins. Metacritic. Retrieved 20 June 2011
PopMatters Joseph Carver praised the album's narrative, writing "Once again, a record made up of relatively unlikeable characters becomes a fixture in your psyche thanks to Will Sheff's ability to find the humanity in their stories." Pitchfork also praised the album's lyrics, with reviewer Stephen Deusner calling Sheff "...one of the best lyric-writers going in indie rock." Deusner continued: "Song for song, he can jerk a tear with a carefully observed detail or turn of phrase... but it's the way those songs talk to one another that makes Okkeril River albums so durable and fascinating."
In a less positive review, Melanie Haupt of The Austin Chronicle criticized the album for being unpolished and unfocused, writing "The Stand Ins doesn't really figure out what it wants to be until its second half."Haupt, Melanie. ACL Fest Sunday Reviews: Okkervil River. The Austin Chronicle. In another mixed review, Magnet's Chris Barton also criticized the album for being unfocused, writing "Okkervil River can deliver terrific songs when ambitions are kept in balance, but this uneven record is in dire need of an editor."Barton, Chris. OKKERVIL RIVER: The Stand Ins. Magnet. 9 September 2008. Retrieved 20 June 2011
Track list
Personnel The following people contributed to The Stand Ins:The Stand Ins - Credits. Allmusic. Retrieved 20 June 2011
Okkervil River Will Sheff – Casio, composer, acoustic, electric and rhythm guitar, keyboards, photography, vocals Charles Bissell – electric guitar Scott Brackett – audio engineer, cornet, editing, engineer, Hammond B3, Mellotron, Hammond organ, percussion, synthesizer, vocals Brian Cassidy – arranger, electric guitar, mandolin, pedal steel, string arrangements, vocals Jonathan Meiburg – banjo, piano, vocals, Wurlitzer Justin Sherburn – carillon, Hammond B3, Mellotron, piano, vocals Travis Nelsen – claves, clavinet, drums, maracas, sleigh bells, tambourine, vocals Patrick Pestorius – bass, melodica, vocals Zachary Thomas – mandolin
Technical personnel Brian Beattie – audio production, engineer, electric guitar, Mellotron, percussion, producer, synthesizer Felix Beattie – audio engineer Brad Bell – audio engineer, engineer Roger Seibe; – mastering Stuart Sullivan – audio engineer, engineer Paul Mahern – audio engineer, engineer
Additional musicians Caitlin Bailey – cello Mike Hoffer – trombone, trumpet Scott Jackson – violin David Lobel – alto and baritone saxophone Katie Nott – viola Kathleen Pittman – violin Sarah Pizzichemi – violin Francesca Smith – French horn Will Thothong – viola Tammy Vo – violin
Additional personnel Daniel Murphy – layout design William Schaff – artwork Tatyana Tolstaya – author
Charts Chart (2007) Peakposition
References
External links Official website Official "Lost Coastlines" music video