They Were Meant for the Stage
David
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Last Tuesday I trekked over to Jersey City for a Decemberists concert, the first in their “Twilight in the Fearful Forest” tour, and my fourth concert of theirs in the past 2 years. For those who have never seem them (or heard their music for that matter), I highly recommend you take a look. I would even say that they are perhaps the best and most unique band out there today. Yes, that’s both a highly subjective statement, and one that many would probably argue against. With bands like “Arcade Fire”, “Gnarls Barkley”, or “The Shins” out there garnering lots of attention and praise, what makes “The Decemberists” any better?
I remember when Radiohead came out with Kid A and Amnesiac. Both albums were considered avant garde as they explored the use of computers in modern music. Indy music lovers raved about Radiohead as if they were the second coming of Christ. I listened to both albums, and what most people called “unique”, I just heard as noise. So much of today’s innovative music veers away from what makes music fun to listen to…great tunes and great lyrics. Their desire to be different might earn them praise, but that certainly doesn’t make me want to sit through some painfully annoying or boring songs. The Decemberists have found a formula that not only makes them completely unique among the thousands of other bands out there, they still manage to make music that yes, you actually enjoy listening to.
It’s hard to accurate define the type of music that they play. Drawing from various reviews, I’ve heard everything from hyperliterate folk rock, to maritime music, blues, lullabys, and just plain rock. Sounds like an odd mix of styles, and it is. But after listening to their discography, you’ll realize that there’s a purpose behind all of it. Lead singer Colin Melloy has put his degree in creative writing to use, crafting lyrical masterpieces that tell intriguing stories throughout his albums. Each song captures the essense of the story he’s trying to tell. Half the fun of listening to the Decemberists is just getting the chance to drown in a classic fairy tall, or a painful story about war. One of the band’s most popular songs, “The Mariner’s Revenge”, revolves around a man out for revenge who ends up trapped in the belly of a whale with the man he set out to kill…it’s certainly a bit deeper than your average ‘my girlfiend left me and now I’m depressed song’.
On top of producing just wonderfully fun and innovative music, The Decemberists put on some of the best live shows out there. Unlike many concerts where the fans are just there to watch, guests at these shows end up being active participants. Besides the band’s playful chatting with the fans throughout the show, they often ask the crowd to help act out scenes…like fighting in a war, or the above-mentioned whales eating mariners. When you leave a Decemberists show, you feel you’ve gotten your money’s worth everytime…
But don’t take it from just me…folks like Pitchfork, some of the cruelest music critics out there, have great things to say about the band.
So I encourage you to go out and listen to some of their works Sit back, close your eyes, and enjoy the melodic stories that Colin and his crew have put together. As Pitchfork says, the Decemberists sound like a band that knows exactly where they’re going and won’t be satisfied until you come along for the trip. Hope you enjoy the ride as much as I did…
References (4)
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Source: AllMusic: The Decemberists
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Response: netvirgin.org -
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