Upon reading various media coverage on the release of the new Decemberists album, there's something I find rather odd. For some reason their new disc, The King Is Dead is being touted as some kind of grand scale departure from the signature sound they've forged for themselves over the course of the last 5 records. This puzzles me. OK, I will agree that this is an overall different sounding album, and I was a little surprised at it's simplicity after 2009's majestic opus, The Hazards of Love. However, what I am hearing with this album is something the band has been naturally progressing toward, and it seems maybe I'm the only one hearing it. Well, maybe not so much as a natural progression, as more of a welcomed regression. Let's make one thing clear. I am a big fan of roots inflected rock music. Whatever you may want to brand it. Alt-Country, Roots-Rock, Folk Rock, whatever. It all just strikes me as very earnest, impassioned and deeply rooted music, driven by tasteful soundscapes and honest songwriting. What had endeared me to the Decemberists in the first place was their elegant use of rustic tones, with the integration of accordion and banjo with their intelligent, indie rock resonance. As much of a fan as I have been of their previous albums, I couldn't help but yearn for those country/folk tinged harmonies to become much more flourished. Don't get me wrong, I fully appreciate everything that The Crane Wife and The Hazards of Love have accomplished as full scale artistic statements, and wouldn't change anything about them. They really are masterpieces in their own right. It's just that those rural subtleties that have been lurking just under the surface the whole time, have just been a little bit of a tease and have left me craving something more organically developed.
Well, if all the previous albums have been the tease, I would be tempted to liken this new record to the ensuing orgasm. On the ambiguously titled, The King Is Dead, the band has completely abandoned their over the top indie rock pretenses, and in the words of Neil Young, "got back to the country". Gone are the ambitious art-rock concept pieces with the delicately understated southern twang, and here we get the band's most direct and accessible record to date. When you think about it, it only makes sense. Where else could they possible go after The Hazards of Love? The heavily themed, mammoth rock opera that is now being worked into a broadway production, set the bar pretty high for large-scale concept albums. It seems like a logical progression to avoid trying to outdo what has been done, and rather just get back to basics. The King Is Dead is a glorious celebration of traditional American sounds, with warm, austere soundscapes and graciously idyllic textures. The record is surprisingly immediate with it's straightforward arrangements, and in-your-face melodies. It's impressive how the band has managed to effectively streamline the raw basics of their sound into a very simple, yet engaging piece of work. Quite simply put, this is a very straight up folk-rock album, that doesn't sound that far off from Blue Rodeo. Also, the fact that Gillian Welch appears on here to contribute her sweet vocal harmonies, just makes this effort all the more complete.
The lead off track, "Don't Carry It All" wastes no time in setting the tone, and making a statement as to where this record is going to take us. It begins with a straight beat and a bold harmonica riff, which already paints a vivid landscape of endless prairies and lonesome highways. The tone doesn't let up, as "Calamity Song" takes the tempo up a notch with an upbeat rhythm driven by an arpeggiated acoustic guitar riff, followed by a sweeping, tuneful chorus. The album's shining moment comes with the dark and emotional balladry in "Rise To Me" with it's weeping pedal steel, and Welch's high mountain harmony. The song's sweet, melancholic melody echoes sentiments of Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris. The overall aesthetic of the album is best summarized in "Down By The Water", which is very catchy, but at the same time carries an ominous undertone that is rather suggestive of R.E.M. Although, the fact that R.E.M.'s own Peter Buck provides 12-string guitar duties on the song may have more than something to do with it.
Despite the simpler musical arrangements, frontman Colin Meloy's lyrical vocabulary, as always, reaches all corners of the English lexicon. In fact, lyrically speaking, the album continues the band's tradition of still carrying somewhat of a thematic element to it. There is a vague lyrical concept running through the record that explores the ongoing cycle of the seasons. This is perhaps punctuated by the 2 companion pieces, "January Hymn" and "June Hymn", which are both beautiful, sensitive ballads that almost serve as solo performances by Meloy with their very sparse instrumentation. The album closes out with the sad, lonesome lament, "Dear Avery" which is a bittersweet melody that prominently showcases Meloy's unique trademark vocal delivery, well complimented by Welch's rich harmony.
This album is very easily my favourite of the year so far. It almost feels as though the band has recorded this project as a special treat just for me. Everything I love about great roots music is exploited generously throughout this recording. Minor chorded dirges, and Appalachian barnstorms colorfully embellished with fiddle, mandolin and steel guitar. Although there are many critics bemoaning the abandonment of the band's ornate extravagance, and accusing them of relinquishing themselves to something more ordinary and prosaic, I wholeheartedly disagree. It feels to me like it has been a long time coming, and is part of the great master plan. It also seems to me that the bold indulgence of these types of traditional sounds after such elaborate, monumental efforts is a further testament to the dedication these guys have to staying creative. I wouldn't necessarily expect this album to mark the direction the band will be going forward, as it feels more like a short stop on a long journey of musical reconnaissance.
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