Back in August, Okkervil River frontman Will Sheff announced his debut solo album Nothing Special for release on October 7 via ATO Records. Now, he is sharing the latest track “In The Thick Of It” featuring Cassandra Jenkins. Sheff previously released “Estrangement Zone” as well as the record’s title track. 

Speaking on the production of the song, Sheff offered, “‘In the Thick of It’ is a song about moments of grace right in the frenetic middle of things. I wrote it remotely with Will Graefe in a frantic flight out of L.A. to the desert. Zac Rae leads the charge on piano and I asked Cassandra Jenkins to sing the song along with me.” 

The story behind the music video is quite unfortunate yet delightfully entertaining. Sheff explained that he had an idea for a grand music video but everyone who was supposed to make the video tested positive for Covid-19. He decided to go in an alternative direction which was “walking my dog Larry through some of our favorite spots in the city. We had a great time and we only spent 200 dollars.”

Sheff will be touring North America this fall starting with a kick off show in Los Angeles, California at the Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever on October 7. He will then visit Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan before performing in Toronto, Ontario, Canada at the Great Hall on November 10. He will then return to the U.S., playing in Georgia, North Carolina, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, New York and Massachusetts. Sheff’s closing show is scheduled for November 21 in Portland, Maine at SPACE.

Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat