Album of the year thus far, glad this finally got put on here.

Great album!!! I especially like the performance of the guitar of For Real and the vocal's hoarse voice.

Album of the year - period. Plus they have an incredible live show.

i will never get tired of this record. im so thrilled that it's on the site! it's one of my favorite albums of all time and okkervil river is going all the way!

no more boring americana albums look ahead fellas

Incredible album.

That's a typical record that will bored you to death if you are not an American. Extra-over-rated local stuff! Give us a break!

Stumbled across this.... Have to order it in (Melbourne Australia) because no one has it. But, it is a very good listen..

The most gripping indie record since Neutral MIlk's "Aeroplane." Absolutely heart-wrenchingly horrible-beautiful.

Great album, beautiful lyrics - definitely deserved all the praise it received.

album of the year by far. no one in ages has sounded so clever and inspired on the subject of love.

My God, I'm NOT an American and I've given this a 10. Why? Because it deserves it for being absolutely outstanding.

The outpouring of emotion combined with beautiful melodies and perfect musical backing is just unmatchable here. A wonderful story with a wonderful storyteller.

The vocals have John Nolan of Straylight Run written all over them and the music stirs up feelings of Bright Eyes. Will Sheff's strained vocals allow the listener to feel the raw emotion pouring out of each track. Conceptually wonderful.

A subdued, more literate and less obscure "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea." It's in the same league as the Neutral Milk Classic, although "Aeroplane" takes it by a bit. It's that good

Album of the year... hands down.

Beautiful. Simply beautiful. I agree, album of the year so far without a question.

Brilliant, just $#%^*!# brilliant.

Black Sheep Boy is an album aversely dreamy and poignant in concept. The music evokes a quietness to it, but yet it harbors some of the most powerful and ghostly lyrics sung with an emotive and sincere ness that is intrusively beautiful to hear. The last song “A Glow” is without doubt one of my favorite songs and a fitting ending to a beautiful and haunting album.

While I still feel SKs THE WOODS is the musical highlight of the year, this is the emotional high point. Uptempo numbers, especially FOR REAL and BLACK, two of the very best songs of the year, grab you by the throat from listen one, other numbers take much longer to process, but I've listened to this thing 12 maybe 15 times front to back now, and it's still sounding better every time. Great Headphone Album, lots of texture that gets missed in a normal stereo listen.… Expand

The best release since the DBT's Dirty South- just a gripping album, all theway through. Visionary, expansive, narrative- music to be listened too, no heard.

I simply cannot get over how good this album is... And yet no one I know (even the indie kids) have heard of it. This album easily beats out Sufjan Stevens for album of the year. In a couple of years this will be a classic, and I'll have been there from the start. "Get Big" is one of the most gripping, sad songs I have ever heard.

Propably the best album of 2005. Yes, I'm pretty sure. The only ones coming close are Marissa Nadler, The Mountain Goats, Sigur Rós and Caribou. Still this stands as the strongest. Wow.

this is their most musicaly and emotionly polished album yet

Yearning without whining, deep without confusion, heartfelt without over the top emotional conjecture; this album easily one of the best of year.

This album is one that just gets better and better after every listen. It has slowly risen to contend as my #1 album of the year so far. It doesn't get much better than "The Latest Toughs" and "For Real". A must-have for sure.

This album simply gets better every listen. The imagery and emotion in Sheff's lyrics are incredible, easily the best album of 2005. I'll let you know how the live show goes :)

Completely completely amazing.

Definetly above average

For once, Metacritic got things right. I bought several of the top 30 albums of 2005 like Spoon, Andrew Bird, and Antony and the Johnsons but how disappointing they all were! This is my new favorite band! The lyrics aren't shallow, dumb, or droning but are so PROFOUND. Will Sheff pours so much into his singing which is perfectly imperfect and the music fits the lyrics. This album deserves a much higher rating than it got!… Expand

Common This was By FAR this years best album!!!! Be sure to check out the B-side release.

a powerfully sincere and absorbing record. this has got to be their masterpiece.

A great, great album with depth and passion. The songs stand alone and together are truly ethereal. Okkervil River's Best!

A heart-wrenching story told through the raw, quavering vocals of Will Sheff. Beautiful and haunting. This album gets better with each listen.

"For Real" is stunning. Structurally, it reminds me of U2's "With or Without You". It might be a tribute to the Manic Street Preacher's frontman. "Black" is a winner, too. The slow songs work equally well; understated, but melodic enough not to depress even though the subject matter is about being sad. Will Sheff seems like the real deal. (To the girl who uses this site as a consumer guide: At least you didn't get stuck with Animal Collective's "Sung Tongs" and Chad VanGaalen's "Infiniheart".)… Expand

melancholic lo-fi wonder - unpolished and raw - this album is so real, focused more on music then production values - i love this album

This will be your new favorite band! The lyrics are soul-baring, the music is sweeping, and Sheff's earnest vocals will blow you away. You have to buy this!

It's too bad that great bands like Okkervil River live in obscurity while there's so much crap being played on mainstream radio. I loved every song!

Amazing.

Best album of 2005.

An epic and incredible journey through the life of a lamb. Scheff's voice is wonderous and sometimes painful to listen to coupled with the dark lyrics. Everything fits perfectly and there isn't a bad track on the record.

Fantastic album, easily in the top 5 albums of 05. An epic story of the Black Sheep Boy weaved into a storytellers album. Easily their best work.

Simply the gingle greatest album I have heard in 2005 or 6. Amazing Lyrics.

You shouldn't be reading these comments. You should be going to buy this album. Now.

Indie albums don't age well, you'd think. But two years on, I'm all the more certain that this is the best thing I've heard since the turn of the century. Literate people will adore it; teenagers will identify strongly with it; indie rock fans will be blown away; neurotics will get totally obsessed with it. Even total morons won't be able to help loving a huge joyous tune like 'All the Latest Toughs'. One to break your heart and sharpen your perceptions.… Expand

Beautiful, Powerful, Emotional, Diverse. This album is a musical masterpiece. It's like watching a dream unfold in your mind that highlights all of your weakness and fears as well as all of your strengths. Everytime, at the end, you wake up knowing youself better.

Perfect album. Third best album of the 00s. It's sad how underrated it is by critics.

It might be weird but this guy remindes me of Bob Dylan..but perhaps maybe the thing they have most in common is "greatness"- okay- a little below dylan but still really awesome!!!

Simply phenomenal. Okkervil River's crowing achievement, and a pure joy to listen to from start to finish. I cannot recommend this album enough.

Simply awesome.

One of the greatest albums of all-time.

The entire album and appendix is emotional, beautiful, and perfect. Some critique Sheff's vocals, but I think it adds to the rawness of the emotion he puts into the songs. Simply great!

Amazing.

Black is most likely the best song of 2005. Amazing. The rest is good too.

Black Sheep Boy is a masterpiece on level with NMH's Aeroplane Over the Sea.