What do you get when you combine a creative writing degree with an unusual grouping of instruments, throwing in uniquely twangy vocals and the off beat demeanor of five artists? No less than the Decemberists, of course. Like your great-grandmother’s “made-to-perfection” signature recipe, the Portland, Ore. band presents a carefully mixed blend of musical ingredients, serving up an impressive assortment of multi-layered songs and obvious musical prowess.
Following a string of unfortunate events, including the theft of their equipment, the Decemberists will stop to perform in Madison on Friday, April 8, at the Barrymore Theatre. Sponsored by radio station WSUM 91.7 and Last Coast/ True Endeavors, the Decemberists are appearing with the similarly unique group Okkervil River. The show starts at 8 p.m. and tickets are available at the door.
With three full-length CDs and an extensive touring schedule under their belt, the Decemberists are no strangers to working hard. The band has continually impressed audiences with their talent and knack for singing from varying points of view. Lead singer Colin Meloy, often compared with the vocals from Neutral Milk Hotel, writes and sings each song as a different person, adopting said character’s perspective, thoughts and resulting wit.
The band as a whole channels the romanticism of the Victorian era and provides a “tantalizing, innocent, and often deceiving distance to songs about sexual slumming … voyeurism and Onanism … emotional sadism … the homoerotic thrill of warmongering … and a love song to that ultimate city as strumpet, L.A.”
The band, made up of musicians Colin Meloy, Chris Funk, Jenny Conlee, Nate Query and John Moen, declares its uniqueness in the fact that each Decemberist song paints a separate world in itself. This can be attributed to certain family ties, as Meloy’s brother is author Maile Meloy, as well as the fact that each band member is well-read and educated in great authors and writings.
Drawing upon their “grad student-like” personas, the Decemberists’ lyrics read like chapters of vastly different books. With lyrics that lure listeners in upon the first listen, the band gives a new twist to seemingly normal subjects. Off of the album Her Majesty, the song, “Los Angeles, I’m Yours,” describes the destructively addicting qualities of the famous city. “There’s a city by the sea/ A gently company … Orphans and oligarchs are here/ A plaintive melody/ Truncated symphony/ An ocean’s garbled vomit on the shore.”
Taking on the persona of a young dead girl in “Leslie Ann Levine,” Meloy sings against the background of a steady drum beat and pedal steel: “My name is Leslie Ann Levine/ My mother birthed me down a dry revine/ My mother birthed me far too soon/ Born at nine and dead at noon.”
Musically, the Decemberists have garnered extensive praise for their music and lyrical genius. Steven Solder, of Amazon.com said, “Eschewing conventional pop-song subject matter, [Meloy] delves deep into the past for his narratives and even his lexicon … Though the subject matter is frequently dire, and the approach is lyrically erudite, one shouldn’t conclude that listening is the aural equivalent of wading through some dusty tome. Bright pop-melodies, smart arrangements and Meloy’s commanding vocals adorn songs that are as inviting as they are astute and evocative.”
Quirky, and at times a little schizophrenic, the music of the Decemberists jumps from mellow to energized, from acoustic to electric at the drop of a hat. This sizable range is reflective of the band’s talent and musicality, serving to provide an exciting and unpredictable listening experience.
The Decemberists are currently traveling the country as a part of their “Advance of the Picaroons Tour 2005.” With almost fifty dates scheduled, the band is no stranger to bizarre mishaps, including the theft of the group’s gear trailer in early March. Unwilling to let the setback affect their touring schedule, the Decemberists solicited donations from fans and trekked on, exhibiting admirable perseverance.
Magnet Magazine writer, Corey DuBrowa, sums up the essence of the Decemberists the best when he says, “What [the band] is doing is creating a new sort of world music. But rather than skimming the cream off the various culturally specific sounds … [they’re] cooking up a careful reduction of all the planet’s content, going back several centuries at a time to unearth stories that divine the humanity of its inhabitants.” Like a tried-and-true recipe, the Decemberists prove that a unique blend of musicality, lyricism and creative intelligence can produce something deliciously good.
