26. Okkervil River- Black Sheep Boy

From the artistic cover image, the artsy graphics to the extensive lyrics in the booklet this album shouts out ambition. I guess in this whole world of neo-folk it pays dividends to have this artistic flair- Devendra Banheart's drawings on covers and booklets, Sufjan Stevens' extensive songtitles, Bright Eyes' mix of both...but at the end of it all it needs to translate to good music. With a lot of this genre I found it to be hit and miss. Why Okkervil River trumps the lot though is the fresh wind of electric guitar cutting through the meandering atmosphere, especially For Real, Black and The Latest Toughs. Then there are the tracks that follow those neo-folk kind of lines, where strings, guitar, barroom piano and a keyboard determine the minor key atmosphere and where singer Will Sheff's round and full vocals dominate without getting overbearing. It's a really pleasant record saved from getting boring by kicking up some leaves rather than dragging their feet in them.