The Decemberists "The King is Dead"

The Decemberists Go Country!  Hey, that could have been the title if they wanted to be humorous.  "The King is Dead" led me to believe the record trotted the earlier paths of British-styled storytelling, like encountering a foe in the belly of a whale, or marrying a bird...but, NO!  This is actually a Midwestern band via Portland, making music of their native country for the first time.  They've morphed from The Waterboys into REM.  When I heard the first single, I was moved to yell/sing "Fire!" from REM's "The One I Love", not knowing how close I really was.  You see, I buy these things digitally without the benefit of liner notes and credits, and don't usually research that kind of info unless necessary.  So, little did I know that the chiming guitar that mimicked Peter Buck's was actually Peter Buck!  He appears on three tracks.  Also guesting is Gillian Welch, the West-Coast chanteuse who was born on the wrong side of the Mississippi, and she and Colin Meloy's vocals together are mesmerizing.  Ah heck, I've mentioned the first single and Welch so why not link the two to the Conan appearance. 

The Decemberists have been throwing curveballs with the last two records, changing up the styles but not the involved instrumentation.  There is a preponderance of harmonica across the album and a heavy pedal steel on a track or two, with the typical dose of acoustics and Hammond B-3.  The high-brow lyrics are still there (who else can you name who would use "A panoply of song" in a chorus), but they've been dumbed down slightly, more fitting for the Americana/folk setting.  

I think I was taken by surprise on my first listen, wondering what the hell had happened.  But that's why I give all these records three spins before forming a post.  Once I had gotten over the shock of the change, the genius of Meloy and mates came shining through on each additional spin, albeit in a different package.  The band is certainly one of America's most respected and appreciated, now landing A-listers as guests and reaching #1 on Billboard's Top Albums.  If you've never been a fan before and you like records by Tom Petty, or let's say the Traveling Wilburys, then you need to get over the bias and give this a try.