If today's indie rock were the Louisa May Alcott classic Little Women—and, let's face it, it totally is—then Okkervil River would be Beth, the forgotten middle sister solemnly dedicated to the betterment of the world and doomed to die of Scarlett Fever before ever knowing the gentle caress of the listening public. For the last seven years, the band has turned out a string of fantastic, quickly forgotten albums more likely to find their way onto critics' year-end "best of" lists than the average Arcade Fire fan's iPod. Now they're at it again with The Stand Ins, and if there's any justice in the world—and, let's face it, there's not—this album will break the trend.

Picking up where last year's The Stage Names left off—the two albums were recorded during the same session and have matching cover art—The Stand Ins delivers more of Okkervil River's signature sound: an odd amalgam of sea shanties, Motown, and country-western dirges (only, you know, good). Lead singer Will Sheff's lyrics are biting and keenly observed, as on the post-grad dis track "Singer Songwriter," where he sends up trust fund hipsters: "I heard cuts by the Kinks on your speakers / I saw Poe and Artaud on your shelves / While The Last Laugh's first scene, on your flat panel screen / lit Chanel that you wrapped around yourself." Picture a Decemberists album whose vocals don't make you feel like a screwdriver is jabbing your forehead: that's Okkervil River.

None of which is to say that this is a particularly great album by their standards. Compared to last year's hook laden epic The Stage Names or 2005's taut, conceptual Black Sheep Boy, it suffers a tad. Still, in an indie rock environment populated by ambitious Jo's (Bright Eyes), pallatable Meg's (The Shins), and bratty, worldly Amy's (Ryan Adams), it's nice to take a moment to recognize Beth.