You may be well familiar with the bands featured in this section, but Some Dude from Hits from the Blog wants to ensure there’s No Jambandfan Left Behind…

You know how they say that Christopher Columbus didn’t really discover America he just “encountered” it? Well that’s sort of how I feel about how I came to start listening to the music of Okkervil River.

How I can really lay claim to discovering a band that has been releasing albums (and I’m sure touring relentlessly) since late last century? I first encountered this Austin-based act some time last summer when every music reviewer was drooling over their latest offering, The Stage Names, a wordy, bombasticalbum with ruminations on the daily life of someone who happens to be in a rock band.

The reviews piqued my interest, but it wasn’t until I caught their performance on Conan that I knew they’d be my latest musical obsession. The song they played was big, brawny and cluttered with sound; it seemed like they could fall apart at any moment, but somehow lead singer Will Sheff’s vocals came in and tied it all together. Read on after the jump and take a listen to their cinematic tales…

You may think being in a rock and roll band is all about sex, drugs and rock and roll, but when Mr. Sheff drops lines like “It’s just a life story, so there’s no climax” he’s not talking about the excess; he’s highlighting mundane, everyday things. Without anymore further build up take a listen to Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe:

It’s sort of equal parts Arcade Fire, Talking Heads, Wilco and Bruce Springsteen — an easy way to sum it up for your friends.

I’ve been anxiously waiting for their return to New York having missed out on their show in the fall, but let’s take a look and listen at what they sound like on-stage with Unless It Kicks:

Okkervil River is hitting the road this April as the support act for the fantastic indie-popsters New Pornographers for a brief jaunt. Here are the lucky cities, I’ll be crossing my fingers though they add a date here…

04-09 Toronto, Ontario - Phoenix Concert Theatre
04-10 Pontiac, MI - The Crofoot Ballroom
04-11 Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall
04-12 Munhall, PA - Carnegie Music Hall in Homestead
04-13 Ithaca, NY - The State Theater of Ithaca
04-14 Washington, DC - 930 Club
04-16 Richmond, VA - Toad’s Place
04-17 Athens, GA - Georgia Theatre
04-18 Nashville, TN - The Cannery
04-19 St. Louis, MO - The Pageant
04-20 Chicago, IL - Riviera
04-21 Madison, WI - Orpheum
04-22 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom

• For Further Listening: All Song Considered Live Concert Series – 2007-09-30 – Rock And Roll Hotel – Washington, DC