The Listomania I make the lists, you shoot them down. Quid Pro Quo.

92. Okkervil River – Our Life is a Movie or Maybe Not

I have a lot of respect for bands that are willfully climactic. I’m hesitating to use the word epic, because it’s so overused at this point. But there’s something to be said for a band who attempts to reach those heights, especially when their style doesn’t necessarily lend itself to giant, sweeping crescendos. Everyone knows Sigur Ros will eventually hit a peak five minutes into a seven minute song. But Okkervil River twist their own brand of folksy, galloping indie rock into a rushing, towering climax on their best tracks, like “Our Life Is Not a Movie or Maybe” from 2007’s The Stage Names. Also, bonus points for writing a song with a cinematic climax about cinematic climaxes. Have I mentioned I also respect post-modernism?

With junkyard percussion and chugging, muted acoustic guitar, Okkervil River used unexpected sources to concoct a monster of a jam here. Will Sheff, the band’s de facto leader, emotes all over these sounds with his shrill, Stephen Malkmus-giving-a-shit whine. But the band abandons any semblance of coy indie posturing in moments like :50. Sheff jumps the octave with his beautiful yowl and the kettle drums beat, and then the tease is over. Back to the running, running, running, until 1:30, and my favorite line of the song. Sheff reaches to the extremities of non-eunuch range with “Big City!” and the guitars go off. And when the “who, who!”s come in, it becomes obvious that this band knows exactly what it’s doing; building a climax of sound and emotion from the rubble of indie-folk instrumentation and quiet sensibility. And in the moments that are truly, yes, epic, Okkervil River does what most other bands can’t and maintains a sense of genuine sincerity. If this song doesn’t make you want to drive 85 mph, or get up and freak out around the cubicle for that last minute…I don’t know what to tell ya.