What you get here, broadly speaking, is a pair of extremely earnest, impassioned alt-country folk tunes from folks who know how to do them properly. If your tastes run in that direction, you're probably already sold. If, on the other hand, acts like Songs: Ohia make your skin crawl, you'll at least find these tracks a little less painful and anguished than most.

While Okkervil River are probably the most established act of the pair, South San Gabriel -- otherwise known as Centro-Matic's Will Johnson -- scores a spot on the "featuring" sticker, presumably because Tight Spot Records is based in Austin. Besides, Johnson's "Stark Miami Mines" -- a simple, melodic narrative for voice, guitar and unobtrusive Casio keyboard -- is the more immediate and accessible of the two cuts. It's a wordy track, seemingly more in love with the sound of its lyrics than their meaning (sample: "And we were checking all departments as it was rumored to be / that the setlists and the landmines were offered up for free."), but elegant, simple and reasonably moving.

Okkervil River's "Satisfy You" will suit listeners who like a little more texture in their music -- provided by banjo, violin and Hammond organ -- and don't mind if the vocals are a bit rough. Vocalist Will Robinson Sheff has one of those strained, slightly off-key voices common to alt-country; he sounds like he spent all day working the back forty and would rather rest than sing. The lyrics, though not as verbose and fanciful as those of "Stark Miami Mines", paint a surprisingly rich picture; this isn't a love song by any stretch of the imagination, but you may not detect the true nature of the characters' relationship until the abrupt twist at the end of the second verse.

All told, this is extremely satisfying stuff -- a record that, if you really listen to it, has a solid shot at becoming a long-term favorite.