In an album that’s considerably more concise and simplistic than The Decemberists’ previous efforts, their new album “The King Is Dead” still maintains the band’s rich folk rock sound. Each song in the 40-minute album features Colin Meloy’s soothing croons backed by strong harmonizing vocals and distinct instruments such as the banjo, accordion and harmonica.
While these instruments may seem like an unusual choice for contemporary rock music, fans of The Decemberists and indie rock fans in general will enjoy the soothingly simple songs of this new album, especially since this set of songs consists of many mid-tempo ballads, a far departure from more rousing and operatic songs with mystical or Shakespearean story lines that The Decemberists have become famous for writing.
The negative reception to The Decemberists’ last album “The Hazard of Love” prompted the band to return to their roots, according to Billboard Magazine.
The result is a cohesive and consistently subdued tone, with stripped down songs that still have a clear narrative even though the album as a whole doesn’t have a unifying conceit or theme. Reportedly using some songs originally written for R.E.M. as a starting point for songs like “Calamity Song,” the sound is instantly identifiable, but The Decemberists’ manage to infuse the lyrics with their own folk footprint and idiosyncratic word choice (i.e. “a panoply of songs” or “upon a plinth that towers towards the trees”). Peter Buck of R.E.M. even contributed by playing the mandolin and other instruments throughout the album.
The album opens with the beautiful “Don’t Carry It All,” a somber meditation of seasons, burdens, life and death, with front man Colin Meloy evoking the notion that you don’t have to carry the world on your shoulders. “January Hymn,” the album’s fifth track, explores the dreary winter days as the singer contemplates the absence of a woman and his inability to let go. His remorse for not saying what he wanted to say is quietly stated, but still resonant and impactful amidst the lyrics of snowy imagery.
In contrast, “June Hymn” ponders summery days in Springville Hills and captures the bliss of the sunny month, mixing images of domestic items such as yellow bonnets on a line with yellow garlands.
Another strong and straightforward song is the penultimate track on the album “This Is Why We Fight,” an invigorating declaration of war as Meloy not only faces imminent battle, but also welcomes it with the verse “come on war, come on hell.”
We still get a sense that The Decemberists haven’t lost their knack for storytelling, but with simple rhymes and delicate imagery, this album is decidedly less allegorical and ornate, making “The King Is Dead” one of their strongest albums to date.
E-mail Palumbo at mpalumbo@media.ucla.edu.