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The Decemberists' sixth, full-length studio outing finds the Portland, Oregon-based indie rock collective exploring a region that has thus far eluded them. Raised on a steady diet of Morrissey, Robyn Hitchcock, Shirley Collins, and Fairport Convention, The King Is Dead represents frontman Colin Meloy's first foray into the musical traditions of his homeland, or more specifically, it proves that he really, really likes R.E.M. “Calamity Song,” which is one of three tracks to feature guitar work from Peter Buck, threatens to break into “Pretty Persuasion” or “So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)” at any moment, and first single “Down by the Water” flirts with “The One I Love” hard enough to take it on a long weekend, though Meloy has stated that the track “started out as more of a paean to R.E.M. than I think any of us really wanted it to.” David Rawlings and Gillian Welch also join the party on a number of tracks, lending their instantly recognizable voices to two of the album’s finest moments, the Wildflowers-era, Tom Petty-inspired “Don’t Carry It All,” and the lovely, Paul Simon-esque “June Hymn” -- Meloy and Welch, the former a Montana-born Anglophile and the latter a California girl with a fetish for dustbowl Appalachia -- harmonize nicely, canceling out each other’s vocal affectations. It’s a refreshing change from the usual compilation of bibliophile, sea shanty/murder ballad, and while the Led Zeppelin III-style rural overhauling may isolate fans who prefer the serpentine, progressive, art rock of albums like The Crane Wife and Hazards of Love, it opens up a whole new continent for the band to explore.
© James Christopher Monger /TiVo
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PETER BUCK, Mandolin, AssociatedPerformer - Stephen Marcussen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Decemberists, Producer, MainArtist - Gillian Welch, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Tucker Martine, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rich Hipp, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Clinton Welander, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Nate Query, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Jenny Conlee, Accordion, AssociatedPerformer - John Moen, Tambourine, Drum, AssociatedPerformer - Colin Meloy, Composer, Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Organ, Vocals, Harmonica, AssociatedPerformer - Dave Rawlings, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Funk, Bouzouki, Pedal Steel, AssociatedPerformer - Annalisa Tornfelt, Violin, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2011 Capitol Records, LLC ℗ 2010 Capitol Records, LLC
The Decemberists, MainArtist - Colin Meloy, ComposerLyricist
(C) 2011 Capitol Records, LLC ℗ 2010 Capitol Records, LLC.
The Decemberists, MainArtist - Colin Meloy, ComposerLyricist
(C) 2011 Capitol Records, LLC ℗ 2011 Rough Trade Records Limited
Stephen Marcussen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Decemberists, Producer, MainArtist - Gillian Welch, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Tucker Martine, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rich Hipp, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Clinton Welander, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Nate Query, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Jenny Conlee, Accordion, AssociatedPerformer - John Moen, Drum, AssociatedPerformer - Colin Meloy, Composer, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Funk, Bouzouki, AssociatedPerformer - Annalisa Tornfelt, Violin, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2011 Capitol Records, LLC ℗ 2010 Capitol Records, LLC
Stephen Marcussen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Decemberists, Producer, MainArtist - Tucker Martine, Producer - Rich Hipp, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Clinton Welander, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jenny Conlee, Organ, AssociatedPerformer - John Moen, Percussion, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Colin Meloy, Composer, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Funk, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2011 Capitol Records, LLC ℗ 2010 Capitol Records, LLC
The Decemberists, MainArtist - Colin Meloy, ComposerLyricist
(C) 2011 Capitol Records, LLC ℗ 2010 Capitol Records, LLC
Stephen Marcussen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Decemberists, Producer, MainArtist - Gillian Welch, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Tucker Martine, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rich Hipp, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Clinton Welander, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Nate Query, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Jenny Conlee, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - John Moen, Tambourine, Drum, AssociatedPerformer - Colin Meloy, Composer, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Funk, Banjo, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Annalisa Tornfelt, Fiddle, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2011 Capitol Records, LLC ℗ 2010 Capitol Records, LLC
Stephen Marcussen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Decemberists, Producer, MainArtist - Gillian Welch, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - David Rawlings, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Tucker Martine, Producer, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rich Hipp, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Clinton Welander, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Nate Query, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Jenny Conlee, Accordion, Organ, AssociatedPerformer - Colin Meloy, Composer, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, Harmonica, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2011 Capitol Records, LLC ℗ 2010 Capitol Records, LLC
Stephen Marcussen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Decemberists, Producer, MainArtist - Tucker Martine, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rich Hipp, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Clinton Welander, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Nate Query, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Jenny Conlee, Organ, AssociatedPerformer - John Moen, Drum, AssociatedPerformer - Colin Meloy, Composer, Guitar, Percussion, Vocals, Harmonica, Baritone Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2011 Capitol Records, LLC ℗ 2010 Capitol Records, LLC
Stephen Marcussen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Decemberists, Producer, MainArtist - Gillian Welch, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - David Rawlings, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Tucker Martine, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rich Hipp, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Clinton Welander, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Nate Query, Cello, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Jenny Conlee, Organ, AssociatedPerformer - John Moen, Percussion, Drum, AssociatedPerformer - Colin Meloy, Composer, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Laura Veirs, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Funk, Pedal Steel, AssociatedPerformer
(C) 2011 Capitol Records, LLC ℗ 2010 Capitol Records, LLC
Album review
The Decemberists' sixth, full-length studio outing finds the Portland, Oregon-based indie rock collective exploring a region that has thus far eluded them. Raised on a steady diet of Morrissey, Robyn Hitchcock, Shirley Collins, and Fairport Convention, The King Is Dead represents frontman Colin Meloy's first foray into the musical traditions of his homeland, or more specifically, it proves that he really, really likes R.E.M. “Calamity Song,” which is one of three tracks to feature guitar work from Peter Buck, threatens to break into “Pretty Persuasion” or “So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)” at any moment, and first single “Down by the Water” flirts with “The One I Love” hard enough to take it on a long weekend, though Meloy has stated that the track “started out as more of a paean to R.E.M. than I think any of us really wanted it to.” David Rawlings and Gillian Welch also join the party on a number of tracks, lending their instantly recognizable voices to two of the album’s finest moments, the Wildflowers-era, Tom Petty-inspired “Don’t Carry It All,” and the lovely, Paul Simon-esque “June Hymn” -- Meloy and Welch, the former a Montana-born Anglophile and the latter a California girl with a fetish for dustbowl Appalachia -- harmonize nicely, canceling out each other’s vocal affectations. It’s a refreshing change from the usual compilation of bibliophile, sea shanty/murder ballad, and while the Led Zeppelin III-style rural overhauling may isolate fans who prefer the serpentine, progressive, art rock of albums like The Crane Wife and Hazards of Love, it opens up a whole new continent for the band to explore.
© James Christopher Monger /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 10 track(s)
- Total length: 00:40:28
- Main artists: The Decemberists
- Composer: Colin Meloy
- Label: Capitol Records
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock Alternative & Indie
© 2011 Capitol Records, LLC ℗ 2010 Capitol Records, LLC
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