Even though I consider myself a huge fan, I’m never really sure what a new album from The Decemberists is going to sound like. It has always felt as though Oregon's indie darlings have an ongoing case of musical multiple personality disorder, as they seem to fully embrace a new genre with every release. There’s no other band that can make the most obscure influences from prog-rock to British folk totally accessible and yet somehow still completely their own, and from album to album. Pretty much the only thing that’s ever certain is the band’s versatility, technical skill, and elaborate lyrics.
The Decemberists also consistently deliver albums that connect on an emotional level. Their compositions and lyricism are complex, with stories that transport us to places and times we’ll never see. Listening to their songs, we get swept into epic dramas full of unrequited love, dastardly villains, duels, and fairies.
This is where The King is Dead is a complete departure from previous albums. There’s no interweaving storylines, no sea-shanties or rock operas, no fluff. The album is tight and crisp, with compositions and narrative stripped bare in comparison to the elaborate songs we’re used to.
This article appears in Jan 13-19, 2011.