However, I’m just really captivated by this band. Locals from Portland Oregon, the Decemberists are a truly marvelous band. Unusual instruments, story-telling lyrics, period pieces, and wry satire. If you’re scratching your head, you may have heard the single 16 Military Wives on the radio. Far as I know, that’s their only actual hit.
But that song, as well as the rest of the album Picaresque, is a wonderful piece of work. From songs about seeking revenge on the high seas to tales of comradeship among teenage runaways, the Decemberists write lyrics that remind me of concept albums from the 70’s, only 75% less pretensious.
Am I alone here? Anyone else digging this as much as I am? Either way, I’m off to hit the record store and look for the earlier albums.
I love Picaresque, which I only bought about a month ago. Since then I have downloaded the Five Songs EP (which actually has six songs), and The Tain, their five-part epic ballad released individually. The Decemberists are one of the most creative and fun-sounding bands out there, with a sound I’d have to classify as “ironic pirate rock.” They shift gears flawlessly from head-bobbing pop songs about the humiliation of being poor child athletes to accordion-drenched tales of revenge on the high seas. Best I can describe them is if Oscar Wilde was writing lyrics for the Smiths or Belle and Sebastian. They’re coming here on September 28th, so I can’t wait to see them live.
I have no opinion on the band, but I’m a member of Amazon Prime and when I clicked on Big Bad Voodoo Lou’s link I saw the following at the top of the screen:
I don’t want to be Mr. Cat Poop and “troll” the thread (I promise, I’m not), but I just can’t listen to the Decemberists because they’re so wholly, intentionally derivative of Neutral Milk Hotel, who made one of my favorite albums of all time, In the Aeroplane over the Sea. The similarity is undeniable on Castaways and Cutouts and Her Majesty, to the point where I just had to stop listening out of disgust - Colin Meloy had to have been intentionally aping the band by affecting a singing exactly like NMH’s Jeff Mangum, and using the usual “kooky” instruments like singing saw in very similar theatrical, anachronistic songs.
I don’t like Neutral Milk Hotel, and not just because their name is either intentionally or unintentionally vapid (and I’m not sure which is worse). I like The Decemberists, though.
I really dig Oceanside from the Five Songs EP – almost to a pathological extreme – and Los Angeles, I’m Yours from Her Majesty is pretty good, too. There is only one cut from Picaresque that I don’t like: The Sporting Life. I think I have The Mariner’s Revenge song pretty much memorized now, and enjoy singing the chorus under my breath at work.
I have yet to hear In the Aeroplane over the Sea, as Neutral Milk Hotel’s silly name put me off, and I keep hearing elitist Pitchfork Media-worshippers talking about them in the same reverent tones as indie darling bands like Yo La Tengo, Pavement, Mars Volta, Sunny Day Real Estate, Tortoise, and Of Montreal. I don’t know what any of those bands have in common, except that I don’t like them. But if Neutral Milk Hotel sounds like the Decemberists, I probably would like them.
Well, few of the bands you mentioned are critically lauded; they may appeal to casual hipsters, but I can’t imagine the snobby Pitchfork elite giving them much credence (though their standards have fallen in recent years). BBVL, you seem to at least be interested in musicl I’m surprised you’d write off a few of those bands (Yo La Tengo and Tortoise in particular) in such a way.
I think you’d like In the aeroplane over the sea - it’s truly an amazing record, though I do think that it’s a cut above the Decemberists in almost every category - pure emotion, songwriting, and weirdness.
The Decemberists are my favorite band . Pure and simple. The day I heard “The Legionnaire Lament” I was so blown away. If you go to NPRs All Songs Considered you can find a Decemberists concert from back in March I think. Around the 45 minute mark in the concert you can hear the bands recent addition Petra Haden sing Kate Bush’s Wuthering Heights. It’s amazing.
If you can see Colin Meloy solo he puts on a great show just by himself. Also try to pick up his “Colin Meloy sings Morrissey” ep.
They will be doing two shows in LA this month. I can’t wait.
When I moved to LA I timed my drive into town to coincide with “Los Angeles I’m Yours” on the albulm.
VCO3, I always enjoy your music-related posts, and I give you and your open mind a great deal of respect. We share a lot of similar tastes, and I’ve learned even more about music from reading your stuff. I rattled off the names of some bands the more obnoxious hipsters I’ve known have worshipped, and I just couldn’t get into their sound… but I tried. NMH, on the other hand, I just haven’t been exposed to yet. But if you say they’re worthy, I will definitely give them a chance. You may have won over a new fan!
So after reading this thread I checked out some Neutral Milk Hotel (still the worst band name ever)… I can see some similarities. NMH isn’t BAD…but IMO the Decemberists trump them completely.
It’s like the Neutral Milk Hotel guys were sitting around banging on their instruments and the Decemberists came by and said “Hey that looks cool. Let’s do it… but umm actually make complex orchestrations and melodies instead of just trampled cacophonies.”
If the Decemberists owe a dept to Neutral Milk Hotel, Neutral Milk Hotel owes a dept to the last 15 to 20 years of Tom Waits.
