Okkervil River

Indie-rock cult heroes Okkervil River may hail from country-rockin' Austin, but a better clue to their spiritual center lies in their name, taken from a Russian author's short-story title. They boast a literary knack that bursts from bittersweet songs like "The President's Dead," in which historic events are scaled down to human size, and you can easily envision the whole thing making a damn good novel. On "A Hand to Take Hold of the Scene," worlds within worlds within worlds are unfurled in a dizzying spin buoyed by a '60s-pop-schooled bounce. But Okkervil River can rock it out too — they come off like Bruce Springsteen with an MFA — or the Decemberists with attitude, take your pick — while skewering the big "Pop Lie," warning listeners, "You're lying when you sing along," even as they make it impossible not to.

Unearth Okkervil River's soul-soaked, folk-fed roots, in Next Steps.

Indie-rock cult heroes Okkervil River may hail from country-rockin' Austin, but a better clue to their spiritual center lies in their name, taken from a Russian author's short-story title. They boast a literary knack that bursts from bittersweet songs like "The President's Dead," in which historic events are scaled down to human size, and you can easily envision the whole thing making a damn good novel. On "A Hand to Take Hold of the Scene," worlds within worlds within worlds are unfurled in a dizzying spin buoyed by a '60s-pop-schooled bounce. But Okkervil River can rock it out too — they come off like Bruce Springsteen with an MFA — or the Decemberists with attitude, take your pick — while skewering the big "Pop Lie," warning listeners, "You're lying when you sing along," even as they make it impossible not to.

Unearth Okkervil River's soul-soaked, folk-fed roots, in Next Steps.

Is the world ready for a new breed of indie rockers who base entire concept albums around Tim Hardin songs; reference French playwrights, adult film actresses, and postmodern poets; and write songs that could have a second life as New Yorker short stories? Apparently so, because Okkervil River has been embraced by fans and pundits alike for crafting some of the most brain-tickling and soul-stirring sounds around. They wrap their head-spinning story-songs in everything from the delicate folk of "Just Give Me Time" to the big, bold rock-operetta raiment of "For Real." But you needn't worry about keeping track of their twists and turns, because we've put everything you need for a trip along the Okkervil River right at your fingertips.