aaamusic | On 08, Apr 2011

Okkervil River have announced details of a May UK + European tour, as well as the video for recent single ‘Wake And Be Fine’. Full details of the tour are below, including a show at The Great Escape and London’s Heaven. All shows are to promote the band’s new album ‘I Am Very Far’, which is set for release on the 9th Mary 2011 on Jagjaguwar.

Watch the arresting video for ‘Wake And Be Fine’, directed by Daniel Gibbs:

In addition ‘I Am Very Far’ – the sixth album from the Austin, Texas band – is now available for pre-order in a variety of formats and unique bundles from the Jagjaguwar store. The album will be released on CD and 2xLP, all of which come with an immediate download in PDF format of the lyric book and a poster featuring the album artwork.

There is also a deluxe limited edition album package available including the following items:

• 2x vinyl LP (side D is an etching)
• CD + digital download
• Exclusive 7” with demo versions of ‘Lay Of the Last Survivor’ and ‘Piratess’
• Hardbound lyric book
• Instant gratification download in PDF format of the lyric book
• Laser cut card of the artwork (12×12)
• Letter from frontman Will Sheff on Okkervil River stationery
• Branded wood box to hold it all

Pre-order from http://scdistribution.com/okkervilriver/

‘I Am Very Far’ features eleven new songs produced and arranged by Will Sheff in Austin, New York City and Connecticut.

Work on ‘I Am Very Far’ started after a year spent on other projects. Sheff contributed vocals to The New Pornographers’ album ‘Together’, wrote a song for Norah Jones’ ‘The Fall’, produced an upcoming album for the Brooklyn-based band Bird of Youth, and helmed Roky Erickson’s acclaimed ‘True Love Cast Out All Evil’ with Okkervil River. Sheff was subsequently nominated for a 2011 Grammy for his liner notes to ‘True Love’.

Richer and weirder than fourth album ‘The Stage Names’ and deeper and moodier than even ‘Black Sheep Boy,’ ‘I Am Very Far’ is dense, fragmented, opaque. A reverie of uncertainty, it feels at once disorienting and oddly familiar, threatening and friendly. Okkervil River have thrown away all maps and compasses but they continue to chart their way, unblinking, toward destinations unknown.

UK + European live dates:

May

Sat 14th Brighton, UK Great Escape Festival @ Concorde 2 (HMV Next Big Thing)

Mon 16th London, UK @ Heaven
Tickets priced £16.50 from www.alt-tickets.co.uk/alttickets/home_okkervil_river.html

Wed 18th Berlin, Germany @ Kesselhaus

Fri 20th Stockholm, Sweden @ Gota Kallare

Sat 21st Hamburg, Germany @ Uebel & Gefaehrlich

Sun 22nd Amsterdam, Holland Indiestad Festival @ Paradiso

Mon 23rd Paris, France @ La Maroquinerie