ARTIST: The Decemberists
ALBUM TITLE: The King is Dead
RECORD LABEL: Capitol Records
RELEASED: January 18, 2011

By Chris Kromphardt
Staff Writer, Justice Administrator

With The King is Dead, the Decemberists have gone from just being a band with a weird name—apparently a variant of an unfinished Tolstoy novel—that I was sort of familiar with to one whose back catalog of albums now has me wondering what kind of gems it might hold. A catchy, well-paced album, King presents a welcome opportunity for the alt-rock dabbler to get better acquainted with the somewhat intimidating (they did take their name from a Tolstoy novel, after all) guys and gal of the Decemberists.

I knew the Decemberists as a band with a reputation for distinctive songs; you always knew it was them. Colin Meloy’s clear singing voice and articulate songwriting are the key distinguishing characteristics of any Decemberists’ song. For me, those hallmarks always set them apart from the myriad similar bands you might hear on any alt-rock or “indie” radio station; the casual listen aside, though, I’d never checked out a complete album of theirs.

Photo from facebook.com/thedecemberists.

While I can’t say that The King is Dead will make the Decemberists one of my favorite bands, it definitely upped their position on my radar. It’s a very listenable and accessible album, and if, like me, you’ve ever wanted to get more into them, this is as good a place as any to start.

It’s also a great way to study for the GRE—how many other bands are going to drop “panoply” into a song, as the Decemberists do in “June Hymn”? But you know what, it works. Meloy’s never going to team up for a duet with someone like Kid Rock (he could, however, pretty effectively mix with Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig); his nerd-rock stylings weave the eloquence of a classic novel with the simple yet strong instrumentation of folk music.

Some standout songs for me are “Down By The Water” and “This Is Why We Fight.” King is an album you can listen to straight through, but I found myself hitting the repeat button for these two. “Down By The Water” features an uptempo pace and well-crafted lyrics that have a way of etching themselves in your memory, while the quiet passion of “This Is Why We Fight,” the penultimate song on the album, serves as a fitting benediction to the album and a beautiful cry for freedom: “When we die/we will die/with our arms unbound/this is why we fight.”

A little folksy, and with the occasional shanty, The King is Dead is probably not going to reach a wide audience. But an album by the Decemberists likely isn’t going for that. So if you’re fan of thoughtful songmaking, give this album a shot. Otherwise you should probably steer clear, as you might get bored.

RATING: 7/10

Front page photo from decemberists.com.