The King is Dead

2009’s _The Hazards of Love_, the last release by Portland’s indie folk quintet The Decemberists, was a towering rock opera full of shape shifting forest dwellers, jealous fairy queens and lascivious rakes. The album received mixed reviews, with some critics praising its scope and its heavier sound when compared to their earlier work, while others derided it for pretentiousness and having too much focus on the story as opposed to the music.

Following their divisive sojourn into the world of the concept album, the Decemberists have gone back to their roots with their latest offering, _The King Is Dead_. The album marks a return to the simpler, more minimalistic indie style of their earlier albums, while retaining the anachronistic language, witty wordplay and poetic beauty common to all their work.

The band’s earlier releases were often heavily influenced by British folk music. However with _The King Is Dead_, lead singer/songwriter Colin Meloy has chosen to draw much more upon the Americana and country scene. Especially noticeable is the impact R.E.M has had on the album. Unsurprisingly you might say, given that guitarist Peter Buck is featured on three of the 10 tracks on offer, and “Calamity Song” in particular could easily have been lifted from Murmur or Reckoning.

Other tracks on the album include the Neil Young-esque harmonica and mandolin of ‘Don’t Carry It All’, riotous square dance ‘Rox In The Box’ and uptempo folk stomper ‘Down By The Water’, with backing vocals from bluegrass luminary Gillian Welch. All these are hushed and perfectly complemented by a pair of beautiful acoustic ballads, perhaps the best two tracks on the album, the hymnal pair, ‘January’ and ‘June Hymn’. ‘January Hymn’ in particular, with its nostalgic lyrics and fluttering guitar evoking falling snow, is a breathtaking standout.

The _King Is Dead_ provides an excellent return to the indie scene for The Decemberists. By reining in his ambitions for grandiosity and theatre and sticking to a simpler, more stripped back and acoustic sound, Colin Meloy and the band have created an album that by leaving out a lot gives so much more.