Stereogum reports that Okkervil River,American folk-rock band from Austin, Texas, have just released their newest music video to the pre-cursor track “R.I.P. Okkervil River” from their upcoming LP Away. The video was written, directed, and features the band leader Will Sheff himself, providing a great visual narrative to the mellow, dark track.
The video starts off with a momentary photo and the opening credits, moving on to its main character, a priest, played by O Brother Where Art Thou?, Holes, and most recently Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt performer Tim Blake Nelson, getting ready for his daily task, the “big day coming…” as the song suggests, which we learn is preparing for a sermon for the funeral he will be presiding over. As the video goes on and the priest gets to the funeral, we learn that it is for Sheff himself, and the sermon is the lyrics of the song. Watching scenes of people crying, the priest delivering his speech, and the band performing the track as Sheff seems to sing along as well. The track ends with the funeral finishing, friends and family of the deceased hug, and we are taken to a bar where the local band is performing the song that was played at the funeral.
The video is a wonderfully shot cinematic drama that seems to compliment the song perfectly, Sheff has outdone himself with this new visual work that can bring the hardest man to tears.
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