Portland-based The Decemberists have been experimenting with the concept album format since 2006 with The Crane Wife. Then came the epic story in The Hazards Of Love, where none save "The Rake's Song" could stand by itself unaided by the others. But now the band is back to creating songs that are musical statements by themselves. With the help of, on select tracks, Peter Buck of R.E.M. on guitar and folk musician Gillian Welch on backing vocals, The King Is Dead showcases the classically literary folk-rock The Decemberists are famous for, this time with an Americana bent.
"Don't Carry It All" has Bob Dylan-like harmonica playing with slow jackhammer drumming. The chorus is melodic and filled with fiddle. A mandolin break, probably by Buck, that has Italian and Chinese hues.
Buck appears on two other tracks as well. "Calamity Song" has an early R.E.M. feel to it, unsurprisingly. Acoustic guitar strums over Buck's chiming electric. The song is laid back i a swirling and lush way. "Down By The Water" proves that The Decemberists could be a great backing band for Neil Young. It captures the grungy folk-rock beast that early Crazy Horse was, full of aggressive harmonica and strumming, a good chorus hook and jangly guitar from Buck. Accordion adds a uniquely Decemberists touch.
The two songs with the most country flavor are "Rise To Me" and "All Arise!" The former is driven by piano and a big vocal track. The acoustic guitar, soft horse trot drumming and pedal steel guitar add the mournful country quality. The latter starts out with a fiddle hoedown and even has a bit of honky-tonk style piano playing.
Despite the silly title, "Rox In The Box" is a great addition to the band's collection of sea shanty/Irish folk ballad/pirate songs. It undulates along with an acoustic guitar riff combined with prominent violin and accordion.
The only aspect of a concept album still around here are in the songs "January Hymn" and its counterpart "June Hymn." The song about the first month of the year is mostly just complex acoustic guitar picking and voice, with some icy glass-like pedal steel. The odd breathy background vocals and arrangement recall Simon & Garfunkel. The song about the sixth month of the year is fittingly warmer. It has an early '60s Dylan-like guitar arrangement accompanied by simple electric organ and harmonica. Both songs have slice-of-life lyrics.
"This Is Why We Fight" is the most straightforwardly rock and roll song on the album. Driving drumming anchors the rhythm for distorted harmonica and jangly guitars. A feeling of dread permeates this song. Its a little too repetitive and could use some oomph.
"Dear Avery" ends the album on a fade out of sorts, which is fine if you like that sort of thing. But there's something to be said for a grand finale. This song is sparse, slow and sleepy but mostly in a beautiful, not boring, way.
Many bands fail in their attempt to downsize effectively after ever escalating the epicness in concept albums. Often times the resulting new album will feel boring in comparison. The Decemberists have avoided this trap with The King Is Dead because they have focused on simply creating fantastic songs, musically and lyrically, that aren't necessarily trying to prove some lofty point. The band members, pretty much all multi-instrumentalists, work as parts of a whole and what they do best is taking older musical styles and transforming them into something that is truly unique but with a warming familiarity at the same time. Introspection housed in organic, woody American folk-rock is the name of the game here and it works splendidly.
