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Album Review: The King Is Dead by The Decemberists

Lauren Bradshaw — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 13:21:29 PST

Fans of The Decemberists may encounter a bit of a shock when they listen to the Portland band's latest. Though Colin Meloy's voice is recognizable as ever, the sound is distinctively different - it's country. The group's sixth album, The King Is Dead has an Americana feel to its tracks, and it's a twist that's very much intentional. Following their last release, The Hazards of Love, the artists decided to forgo their dramatic arrangements and flowery language for more stripped-down songs that tell a story.

Using a converted barn as their studio, The Decemberists pulled inspiration from the surrounding meadows and forest to weave their lyrics in King. And you can hear the influence on nearly every track from the earthy imagery in "June Hymn" to "Down by the Water." If the latter sounds a bit like R.E.M., you're not mistaken; R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck joins The Decemberists on three of the albums' songs. But the overall message of the album is simplicity. The songs are mainly acoustic, with instruments you might find in a rundown honky-tonk (think harmonica and accordions). It seems The Decemberists have decided to let go and just unwind - and the relaxed album is perfect for just that.

Choice tracks: "June Hymn"
"This Is Why We Fight"
"Dear Avery"

BuzzSugar's Must Haves For January

BuzzSugar — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 13:00:55 PST

Don't you just love a new year? With it comes a whole menagerie of entertainment goodies to look forward to - starting with these January movies, music, and TV series. So bust out your brand-new 2011 calendar, and pencil in these dates. You won't want to miss any of these exciting offerings!

New Music: The Decemberists' "Down by the Water"

Shannon Vestal — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 12:30:23 PDT

I've been a fan of folky indie outfit The Decemberists for years, so I'm looking forward to their next album, The King Is Dead, to be released in January. The band are giving us all a little preview via their new track, "Down by the Water," which pairs an upbeat, lush sound with vaguely mournful lyrics (like many of their songs). Listen to Colin Meloy's romantic voice on the harmonica-heavy "Down by the Water" when you

What Is the Best Indie Album of 2009?

BuzzSugar — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 13:30:08 PST

Some of these gifted artists may be bigger than what you consider "indie," but they all captured the spirit of the genre in '09. It's hard to pinpoint why they're just so cool, but they make it seem effortless. Personally speaking, I've been listening to Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix by Phoenix and It's Blitz! by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs on a repeat loop, but there were plenty of other albums to choose from. Which one is your favorite?

Don't forget to check out the rest of my best of 2009 polls and Best of the Decade community group!

It's Record Store Day!

BuzzSugar — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 13:30:01 PDT

Happy Record Store Day, everyone! Since it started in 2007, this event has caught on as a nationwide celebration of the little neighborhood shop and a reminder of how important it is to music. In this age of the digital download, it's easy to forget how awesome it is to wander through the aisles of a record store and discover a band you might not have found on an iTunes best-sellers list.

I love this quote from Colin Meloy of The Decemberists about why record stores are the greatest:

I don't know what I would do without indie record stores. Having grown up in a town without them, I can tell you that it's no fun to shop for indie records at chain box stores. Independent record stores like Sonic Boom in Seattle, Rockin Rudys in Missoula, and 2nd Avenue in Portland were holy golden shrines to me growing up. Actually, they still are.

A bunch of artists have put together limited-edition Record Store Day releases available only at participating stores (I'm totally coveting the Andrew Bird/Loney Dear 7" and the previously unreleased Flight of the Conchords songs). In addition, super-cool events are taking place at stores around the country today - for example, the independent store in my neighborhood, Amoeba, will be holding giveaway contests every hour and has DJs spinning all day. Head over here to see what's going on today at your local store.

Do you like the idea of Record Store Day? Anything cool going on in your neck of the woods?

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Link Time! 3/19

BuzzSugar — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 13:30:32 PDT

A beautiful, appreciative post about Natasha Richardson's contribution to stage and screen. - Popwatch
The members of My Chemical Romance are not at all interested in having their music in a Twilight movie. - MTV Movies Blog
Nine memorable TV shows about TV. - TV Squad
OMG, Lost Boys 3. F'real?! - Cinematical
Which of these Davids will save HBO? - Vulture
The new, free Fandango app for iPhones has arrived, to the joy of movie lovers everywhere. - geeksugar
Audio and photos from the Decemberists' Hazards of Love premiere at SXSW. - Stereogum
The Gossip Girl spinoff is not called Lily, and more from Josh Schwartz. - Watch with Kristin

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What to Download: New Music Today

BuzzSugar — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 16:30:27 PDT

Tuesdays are big in entertainmentville: Not only do all the new DVD releases hit Netflix, but new music also pours into stores. So I take a spin through each week's music releases and pick out some albums and tracks worthy of a download. Here are today's selections:

Early download alert!: Today iTunes has an exclusive deal for you to download the Decemberists' fifth album, The Hazards of Love, which technically drops on March 24. We've already heard one single from the album, which is part of a big, lively story about a woman named Margaret. It's hard for me to pick this apart by track because all the songs fit together in a particular way, but take a listen to the title track first to get a sense of it all.

British rocking: According to the many reviews I've skimmed about the debut album from London band White Lies, it suffers from some pretty silly lyrics but most agree it's still an above-average effort that fans of acts like The Killers and Franz Ferdinand will enjoy. Check out "Farewell to the Fairground" and "Death" for a taste of what these guys can do.

One more cool discovery up next, so

A band to note: At the end of the Ugly Betty episode titled "Things Fall Apart" a really sad song plays to match the intense emotions, and that song was by these guys. Turns out the album isn't set to release until March 31 but is available for download at iTunes right now. So far, I think this is a surprising and exciting band with a haunting sound similar to that of the Fleet Foxes (though with less harmonizing). I think we're going to hear a lot more buzz about these guys (and gal) in the coming weeks. Check out the beautiful "E Minor" as well as the song featured on Betty, "Black Tables."

Free Download From The Decemberists: "The Rake's Song"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 11:30:28 PST

In anticipation of their next album coming out March 24, the Decemberists are making one of the album's songs available for free download today. "The Rake's Song" is a drums-heavy, dramatic tune from the album, The Hazards of Love which will weave a tale with the songs, each track telling another part of the dark but lively story. An email I received about the album today describes the album like this:

The Hazards of Love tells the tale of a woman named Margaret who is ravaged by a shape-shifting animal; her lover, William; a forest queen; and a cold-blooded, lascivious rake, who recounts with spine-tingling ease how he came "to be living so easy and free" in the aforementioned "The Rake’s Song."

I'm liking "The Rake's Song" well enough but I can imagine tiring of it as it's a little on the repetitive side. You can nab a free download for yourself by clicking here, or to take a listen now, just

What to Download: New Music on iTunes

BuzzSugar — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 15:30:56 PST

Tuesdays are big in entertainmentville: Not only do all the new DVD releases hit Netflix, but new music also pours into stores, including iTunes. So I take a spin through each week's iTunes music releases and pick out some albums and tracks worthy of a download. In addition to these picks, you can download new singles from Taylor Swift, Kanye West, and the Smashing Pumpkins. Here's what's on my list this week:

Holiday spirit: Sure, it's a little on the early side to bust out the tinsel and candy canes, but this is one holiday album that seems like it would be good all year. I've long been a fan of Rosie Thomas's sweet, folky voice, and on A Very Rosie Christmas, she presents her take on Christmas songs both new and old, from ballads like "River" to jazzier, up-tempo tunes like "Why Can't It Be Christmastime All Year." There's also a brief comedy sketch from "Sheila," Thomas's stand-up comedy alter ego.

Come on, Elaine. "Days of Elaine" is the latest song in The Decemberists' singles series, Always the Bridesmaid. The second volume in the series is out today and contains two versions of "Elaine," the regular one and a long one that clocks in at more than six minutes. The EP also includes a cute and somewhat old-timey cover of the Velvet Underground's "I'm Sticking With You."

One more pick for the week, so just

Twilight rising. If you're eagerly awaiting the movie release of Twilight, why not dip a toe into the movie's mood right now with the film's soundtrack? The 15-song album includes tracks from Iron and Wine ("Flightless Bird, American Mouth") and Paramore ("Decode," the only song available without buying the whole album, and "I Caught Myself"). But maybe most intriguing are the two tracks from the film's star, Robert Pattinson, including "Never Think."

Song of the Day: The Decemberists, "Valerie Plame"

BuzzSugar — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 08:30:39 PDT

Yay! New Decemberists stuff! And it's so fun! I know - lots of exclaiming here. I just can't get enough of this song, "Valerie Plame," because it makes me giggle a bit. According to a press release, the song is sung from "the point-of-view of one of Plame's inside contacts upon discovering her true identity, the song is an amorous tribute to the onetime CIA operative." "Valerie Plame" is a part of the band's upcoming series of singles titled Always the Bridesmaid. The first volume of the series is due out on Oct. 14, and the Decemberists are scheduled to play "Valerie Plame" on Conan O'Brien the night before the election, Nov. 3.

Political context aside, "Valerie Plame" is a bouncy song with horns and some banjo and a sing-along at the end. It reminds me vaguely of the circus at times. I love this band's flair for the dramatic. To take a listen,

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