Monday 1 December 2014

Entertainment Monday: The Decemberists (Monday December 1, 2014)



What better way to start the month of December then by celebrating the band, the Decemberists, right?  The Decemberists are an Indie Rock band from Portland Oregon that has been around since 2000.  I have always enjoyed listening to them and they have just come out with a new album and some of the songs off their new album are just now beginning to get some radio play.  I kind of feel that they have a bit of an Irish sound to some of their music, which was why I was a bit surprised to find out that they originated in the North West United States.  If I had to guess I would have thought they may have come from the Boston area. 

The Decemberists on Wiki

They have five band members, Colin Meloy  (songwriter and vocals), Chris Funk (guitar among other things), Jenny Conlee (who plays the Hammond organ, accordion, melodica, piano, keyboards and harmonica), Nate Query (bass guitar and string bass) and John Moen (drums, backing vocals, melodica, guitar).  One of the things that really appeals to me about the band is their instrumental talents across a broad spectrum of instruments, which allows many of their songs to have a unique sound relative to a lot of what one might hear on the radio typically.  Colin Meloy also has a distinct and interesting voice, which lends nicely to the instrumental diversity of the band. 

This is Why We Fight was one of the first songs that turned me onto the Decemberists back in 2010/2011.  Why We Fight is lovely little tune about the things worth standing up for from a kind of Global perspective.


I have two favorite songs from the Decemberists, one of them being Calamity Song (2010/2011) and the other Make You Better off of their newest album What a Terrible World/What a Beautiful World.

Here is Calamity Song, funnily enough a tune about how the fighting between countries might lead to utter annihilation.  I say funnily enough because Why We Fight off of the same album would seem to be somewhat in contrast to the message that Calamity Song sends.


Out of the three songs I chose to post here I don't think any of them really carry the Irish feel to them that I mentioned about some of the Decemberists songs.  The ones I chose all have more of an American Folk Rock kind of sound to them.  I really enjoy a great deal of their music though and think to get a full appreciation for their instrumental talents and sound it's advisable to listen to more of their music on the web or buy one of their albums.

Make You Better is my favorite song off of their newest album.  It's a sad but poignant and emotional relationship song.




I can't wait to find out if/when tour dates will come out for their new album and where that tour might lead them.  Hopefully the Capital District of New York finds its way on to the tour somehow.

1 comment:

  1. Out of the songs you posted, I liked the Make you better the most. I like how the band members can play a lot of different instruments and include it into their music. It makes them special.

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