As any hardcore fan will tell you the imminent release of a new album by your favourite group brings with it both hope and trepidation. You want to love the new songs. But you want to love them because they're exciting, fresh and brilliant not because it's [insert favourite band here] and they can do no wrong in your eyes.
When this group happens to be The Decemberists and they've already set the bar very high, their last two albums 'The Crane Wife' and 'Hazards of Love' both rated 5/5 by this reviewer, the danger for 'The King is Dead' is heightened further as the only way is down. It's an impossible dream to think they could better or at least maintain their brilliance. Isn't it?
Actually it isn't. 'The King is Dead' marks a much heralded return to the simplicity of former glories following the dense songwriting narrative of Hazards and peeling back the songs to their basics emphasises further Colin Meloy's knack for creating a hummable tune.
Referencing American guitar music through the ages from Neil Young, The Byrds and REM - musical guest Peter Buck an obvious reference point for the guitar picking on 'Calamity Song' - the album's focuses on musical tradition for inspiration. With tender voiced Gillian Welch for accompaniment throughout Meloy narrates tales of love and loss with typical storytelling flair and recent single 'Down By the Water' reaches any previous peak with ease. There are fewer moments like this than I’d like personally but it's never a chore to listen to and simple songs or not they possess a complex heart withstanding repeated plays for a long time to come
www.thedecemberists.com
www.mekongdelta.co.uk
