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Okkervil River
Biography
Formed in 1998 in Austin, TX, Okkervil River steadily expanded their sound into a textured, dynamic brand of indie rock, replete with folk-rock influences and wide instrumentation. Vocalist Will Robison Sheff and drummer Seth Warren first rubbed shoulders as high-school students in Meriden, NH, a town they eventually left to attend different colleges. The two reconvened several years later in Austin, however, where they assembled Okkervil River with the help of bassist Zachary Thomas. The group recorded several EPs as a trio, including 2000's Stars Too Small to Use, before crossing paths with multi-instrumentalist Jonathan Meiburg at a local bar. Meiburg soon joined the band, and Okkervil River made their first big splash by playing the SXSW festival in March 2000.

Producer Brian Beattie caught the band's SXSW showcase and agreed to helm Okkervil River's debut album, Don't Fall in Love with Everyone You See. Warren relocated to California during the recording sessions and was replaced by drummer Mark Pedini; meanwhile, the band inked a record contract with Jagjaguwar, which released the completed Don't Fall in Love in January 2002. A second release, Down the River of Golden Dreams, followed one year later.
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