Okkervil River’s Will Sheff Announces Debut Solo Album, Shares Video for New Song: Watch

Will Sheff, frontman of Okkervil River, is set to release his debut solo album this fall. Nothing Special is out October 7 via ATO. The record, which follows his nine-album run with Okkervil River, features contributions from Cassandra Jenkins, Eric D. Johnson, Christian Lee Hutson, and more. “Estrangement Zone,” is the first single off of the album, and it is accompanied by a music video directed by Johnny North, starring Marcus Paek. “I think of the ‘Estrangement Zone’ video as a kind of magical spell the crew and I were trying to cast, Sheff said in a press release. “A parable about endings and beginnings happening simultaneously.” Find it below.

“When I was just a kid, I got caught up in the dream of being a rock and roll star,” Sheff added in press materials. He continued:

Like so many other young people, I fell in love with the idea of being called to this glorious path outside of ordinary life. And I ended up in a band with people who felt this same call—especially our brilliant drummer Travis Nelsen, who was like a brother to me. We would trade tales of hilarious antics and outrageous excess and tragic death like they were almost scripture. Travis and I fell out painfully, and he died in the early weeks of lockdown. I think a big part of Nothing Special centers around grieving for him, grieving for everything my friends have lost, grieving for the rock and rock and roll myth, and trying to open my eyes to a more transcendent reality.

Sheff was inspired by King Crimson, Joni Mitchell, and Bill Fay while writing Nothing Special. He also looked to natural wonders such as the Southern California mountains, deserts, and lakes. Sheff began writing Nothing Special following a move to Los Angeles, where he deepened his spiritual practice, quit drugs and alcohol, and adopted a dog. 

Will Sheff: Nothing Special

Nothing Special: