New Music: The Decemberists “The King is Dead” Review

I recently bought the new album by The Decemberists, The King is Dead, and was blown away.  From the first note of the first song, I was completely sold. Lead singer Colin Meloy has said that the inspiration of this record was REM and though you can hear a very strong influence (Peter Buck even plays on three songs on the album) it isn’t great just because it is an REM Clone.  The King is Dead is great because The Decemberists are great.

I am a fan already.  I own their entire collection and love them all. Though not a Pagan band, I find The Decemberists very accessible for our sensibilities featuring mythology and nature themes.  I have already mentioned The Tain here, an interpretive retelling of the story of Cuchulain, but also their albums The Crane Wife and The Hazards of Love are very Pagan friendly (the former being influenced by both a Japanese folk take and the perennial magic-user’s favorite play, The Tempest).  The King is Dead might actually be their most Pagan friendly album to date as far as I can hear. Douglas Wolk of Rolling stone called it the “most pastoral, rustic record they’ve ever made”. The King is Dead follows in XTC’s pastoral footsteps and continues their legacy.

The very first song “Don’t Carry it All” seems to be an anthem for the seasons.

So raise a glass to turnings of the season
And watch it as it arcs toward the sun
And you must bear your neighbor’s burden within reason
And your labors will be born when all is done

The song “Rise to Me” features a very XTC-like opening to honor the earth:

Big mountain, wide river
There’s an ancient pull
These tree trunks, these stream beds
Leave our bellies full

A song called “Rox in the Box” started out to be my least favorite song on the album but I quickly realized that the music was from the folk song Raggle Taggle Gypsies and I understood the genius. It is probably the most “Decemberists”-style song on the album.  The two companion “Wheel of the Year” songs, “January Hymn” and “June Hymn” are beautiful songs for the seasons and might find their way in my personal seasonal soundtrack. Plus, “June Hymn” flaunts the geeky lyrics that Meloy is known for.  I get chills when he sings “a panoply of song”.  I think I’m pretty smart, but I actually had to look “panoply” up.  But I find it sexy when I have to learn something to understand a song.  The first single, “Down by the Water” a very REM influenced song but it rocks and rocks hard.  I heard it on the radio while at work one day and said to myself “Wow, this is an incredible song.  I wonder who sings it…” And as I paid more attention to it I realized that I recognized the voice.  I immediately bought the album on iTunes and have been rocking it since. Loudly, in my Honda Element, singing along…

This Pagan friendly album will not disappoint.  The music and lyrics are top notch and I expect to find myself listening to it over and over again.  If you have never before been a Decemberists fan, you might want to give this one a try.  I’m guessing once you do, you’ll go buy everything else they’ve done as well.