Photo by Ben Sklar
Will Sheff has been thinking a lot about his childhood lately. The Okkervil River frontman took listeners on a tour of his hometown of Meriden, New Hampshire for the Austin band’s 2013 album, The Silver Gymnasium. This week, Sheff debuted a 45-minute music video of the song “Down Down The Deep River” for the first annual Austin Music Video Fest (and if you missed it, there’s another screening on Sunday at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar at 2 p.m.). He likens the video to those ’80s, Spielbergian coming-of-age epics: mystical, wondrous, and open-hearted.
Sheff brings this same openness to My KUTX this week. He takes us on a musical tour of his life, from his soft-rock-soundtracked childhood to his college rock days and beyond. Listen below his playlist.
–Art Levy
Will Sheff’s playlist
1. Dan Fogelberg – “Leader Of The Band”
2. Howard Jones – “New Song”
3. Lou Reed – “Sword Of Damocles”
4. The Incredible String Band – “Job’s Tears”
5. Guided By Voices – “Ester’s Day”
6. Townes Van Zandt – “Our Mother The Mountain”
7. Scott Walker – “Farmer In The City”
8. Steve Harley – “Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)”
9. Squeeze – “Vicky Verky”
10. Prefab Sprout – “When Love Breaks Down”
11. Joan Armatrading – “Save Me”
