Don't Fall in Love With Everyone You See

AMG Review of Don't Fall in Love With Everyone You See

Gregory McIntosh
All Music Guide

Marking the point when audiences started to warm up to Okkervil River's delicate yet explosive sound, Don't Fall in Love With Everyone You See foreshadows a band that would soon be capable of the fantastic follow-up Down the River of Golden Dreams, but here, they still sound a bit green. So what if Okkervil River wasn't quite up to snuff at this juncture? They soon would be, the songs hold merit, and aspirations of grandeur snake out and about, most notably in the horn-driven "Lady Liberty." But amidst all of the goodness, Will Sheff's vocals often detract from the listening. During the nine tracks of Don't Fall in Love With Everyone You See, Sheff sometimes seems too desperate to sing the songs with the naturalness they deserve, exuding false confidence in a manner that suggests his discomfort for writing himself out of his vocal range. Although most songs survive this disadvantage -- as in the building opener "Red," where the melody Sheff is aiming at (coupled with a lovely set of lyrics) balances the scale -- this is what keeps Don't Fall in Love With Everyone You See from obtaining the high quality Okkervil River later achieved.