Despite a horrendously rainy evening, I made the trek up to Philadelphia to see two of my absolute favorite extant artists (Wye Oak and Shearwater) play impressive sets at Johnny Brenda’s. Though a bit oddly shaped, and accordingly awkward for sound, the venue is an absolute charmer. It feels like a back-room, private cabaret with some insane lighting rigs and luxuriously appointed design elements such as buttoned red velvet cushions on the walls. The venue shoots upwards two stories, but is shallow and intimate, making sure you are never more than 10 rows from the stage (which is well-elevated for a venue this size, giving everyone good sightlines).

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Shearwaters are medium-sized, long-winged birds, part of the family Procellariidae. Elegant even by avian standards, many of their ilk are long-distance migrants and long-lived. Their flight is remarkable in its gliding ease and grace, and the length of its migrations spans hemispheres. It’s rare to be able to see a shearwater from land, as they nest in remote locales and islands and spend the majority of their time over open water.

In light of all this, it’s not surprising that Jonathan Meiburg and Will Sheff chose to name their non-Okkervil River musical collaboration Shearwater (Meiburg is also an ornithologist).  Sheff’s role in the collaboration diminished over time and most recently, Meiburg left Okkervil River to make Shearwater all his own.  Their latest album, Rook, most fully realizes the musical equivalent of the band’s namesake.  Sweeping and awe-inspiring in its scope, soaring, elegant and effortless folk rock.  It also marks Shearwater’s strongest declaration of independence from Okkervil River’s shadow.

When I have a longer moment, I’ll make some more developed remarks on the album and maybe elevate it to Recommended status.  For now, chew on these bits of aural greatness and check out our interview with Jonathan from back in June when he played DC.

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MP3: Shearwater – Rooks

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MP3: Shearwater – Leviathan, Bound

Released June 3, Rook is Austin-based Shearwater‘s first proper release on Matador Records, following a reissue of Palo Santo, originally released on Misra Records in 2006. Rook continues the band’s sonic evolution from what resembled field recordings on its early releases to near-art rock topped with Meiburg’s alternately cooing and soaring vocals.

The album is the band’s second minus Will Sheff, who split singer-songwriter duties with Meiburg on four releases prior to Palo Santo while Meiburg’s keyboards and harmonies were a hallmark of Okkervil River, Sheff’s primary vehicle, through 2007. Now fully devoted to Shearwater and the band’s unrivaled creative force, Meiburg took some time on the eve of an Eastern U.S. tour to answer a few questions for Aural States. Shearwater performs at the Black Cat June 15.

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MP3: Shearwater – Rooks

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