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Old 02-02-2011, 03:07 PM   #6 (permalink)
Paedantic Basterd
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The Decemberists - The King is Dead (2011)

This isn't a proper First Impression piece, because the album leaked in December and I've become very familiar with it since then, but I wanted to address it because it was my most anticipated release of 2011. The Decemberists are one of my favourite bands, but I'm not subject to bias. Most of my favourite artists released poor albums in 2010, so if anything, I met this release with hesitance, even dread.

The King is Dead is unlike the Decemberists. If not for Colin Meloy's nasally vocals, you probably wouldn't know that this was the followup to The Hazards of Love*. The songs are simply constructed Americana, predictably paced, but the melodies deliver on Meloy's reputation. Peter Buck** makes an obvious appearance, but Gillian Welch outshines him on the 7 tracks she contributed harmonies to.

Lyrically, The King is Dead disappoints, describing straightforward rustic scenes without the whimsy and humour of previous work. Storytelling takes a back seat. By now you expect The Decemberists to regale you with stories from bygone eras, but without such a strong delivery, you lose interest.

This album gains credit for being better musically than The Hazards of Love, but falls on the wrong side of the lee compared to their previous high points. It is an album that I enjoy, but couldn't say holds up to the quality of previous work under scruitiny. Nevertheless, I give it a green light as a standalone album; just don't expect it to match Picaresque or the Crane Wife.

* 2009 prog-inspired rock opera.
** REM guitarist.

*

*But look both ways before you hit the gas.



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