Back in 2007, Okkervil River released their free Golden Opportunities covers mixtape. It featured Will Sheff and co. paying homage to some of their favorite songs and songwriters. Four years later, that mixtape has a sequel, in the form of the Golden Opportunities 2 EP. The five tracks find the band digging even deeper than before, covering songs by Bill Fay, Ted Lucas, Jim Sullivan, and David McComb (via his band the Triffids).
The EP kicks off with a version of Motown session player Ted Lucas’ 1975 folk balled “It Is So Nice to Get Stoned,” from his sole solo album. Things continue with “U.F.O.” by Jim Sullivan’s “U.F.O.,” an artist who mysteriously vanished soon after putting out the song (read the surreal story here). The band digs even deeper to uncover “One Less Soul on Your Fiery List,” from the 2007 reissue of 1986’s In the Pines by Australian band the Triffids. They then tap into obscure songwriter Bill Fay – perhaps best known to younger fans from Wilco’s cover of “Be Not So Fearful” – with “Plan D.” “Dry Bones,” probably the only song familiar to many on here, rounds things out.
