The Decemberists – ‘King Is Dead’ Full Album

When we last left Decemberists frontman Colin Meloy, he’d steered his band and his songs to new levels of theater, creating the sprawling rock opera The Hazards of Love. In that project, the sound was as rich as the story, exhibiting justifiable excess. (If you’ve written the role of a jealous, rebuking royal, why not let Shara Worden belt it out?) 

Decemberists — Down By The Water MP3

On The King Is Dead, Meloy prepares listeners for change in his opening line: “Here we come to a turning of the season.” It not only signals different lyrical themes, but also provides an introduction to a new musical lightness for The Decemberists. The new record opts to tame the band’s indulgences, and also reroutes its musical focus: Instead of pointing solely to the British folk that has long inspired him, Meloy digs deep into the American roots-music lexicon, even merging the two in the sea shanty/mining tune “Rox in the Box.”  From WWW.NPR.ORG

Listen to Full Album and read more critique:

http://www.npr.org/first-listen-the-decemberists-the-king-is-dead

~ by castleqwayr on January 3, 2011.