Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating: 
Summary: Okkervil River hit their 'Dylan Phase'.
Comment: The 'Dylan Phase' refers to a statement a friend once made in regards to Bob Dylan's 1965-1967 phase, when everything he released, wheather on any of his albums or bootleg recordings, seemed to resonate with such greatness and importance as to reduce everything else to a mere substitute.
This is how I now feel Okkervil River are currently enjoying. With each release they seem to edge closer to a greatness that many aspire to but rarely claim. 'The Stage Names' was one of 2007's best records and this album just proves the vast amount of songwriting and playing talent that the band were creating around the time.
Songs such as 'Lost Coastline' and 'Bruce Wayne Campbell.......' would have perfectly slotted onto the parent album, but at the same time neither would have out-shone any of the 9 songs on 'The Stage Names', simply because all 20 songs over both records are of such a high standard that had they been released together we would have had a double album to rival 'Exile On Main Street' or 'Blonde On Blonde', surely the highest praise any band can gain.
Now I just hope the band can keep these standards for their next release, if so, the phrase 'The Dylan Phase' could well turn into 'The Okkervil River Phase'.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Another Great Album
Comment: The Stand Ins is pretty much a seconds disc to the previous Okkervil album 'The Stage Names' (if you put this album cover underneath the Stage Names cover they link up to form a bigger cover!! Woo!) Those familiar with the previous album will see similarities between these two, the more upbeat folk style with the beating of tamborines and drums is expressed throughout the album rather than the slower approach taken in 'Black Sheep Boy' and 'Down The River Of Goldendreams'. The Songs 'Lost Coastlines', 'Singer Songwriter', 'Starry Stairs' and 'Pop Lie' show this upbeat approach. This makes this, possibly, the most easily accessible Okkervil River album for people new to the band, as previous albums do take a good few listens to start to appreciate.
I don't believe this is the bands greatest album as i am a big fan of the more passionately sang songs by Okkervil, HOWEVER it is still a great record and a good starting point for anyone new to these. Where the passion is missing in some parts it is made up by great catchy melodies.
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