Will Sheff And Carl Newman Try Out "Lost Coastlines"

Okkervil River's kicking off a new series of performances, to be added over time to their YouTube channel, featuring songs from the prematurely approved The Stand Ins as performed by various guests you've probably heard of. The first album track to get the Stand In Sessions treatment is the excellent "Lost Coastlines ," with New Pornographer A.C. Newman Standing In for the Shearwater-bound Jonathan Meiburg. The song itself is occupied with Jon and Will's fork in the road (although maybe not as much as "On Tour With Zykos"), Meiburg and Sheff taking turns singing their sides of the seafaring metaphors. In this version, though, A.C. sings the Will part and Will sings the Jonathan part. Which is smart. You don't want to force Carl to step into some awkward emotional shoes and recreate weird relationship dynamics so early in the game. Plus this allows Will to try to see things through Meiburg's side ("we sail out on orders from him" is a good moment) and, more awesomely/awkwardly, his baritone.