duggup

Artist: The Decemberists
Website: www.myspace.com/thedecemberists
Track Name: A Cautionary Song
Playback: mp3/flash
Download?: Yes

I have to admit that I only recently discovered the Decemberists and are rather taken with their songs, fronted by the reedy-voiced singer-songwriter Colin Meloy, and pursuing a fascination with Gothic romance and 19th-century balladry, this is a band fascinated by words (and there are a lot of them).

Here is the hype from their website…

“I’m a poor, drunken orphan with nowhere to go but the grave,” wailed a waifish and non-plussed Mr. Chris Funk as he lay supine by the railroad tracks. The crate of records he had been cradling in his nubile appendages now lay in pieces on the ashen ground, his complete collected recordings of sixties psychedelic luminary Rick “Paisley Dave” Rigmore scattered hit her and yon like so many dead leaves beneath a diseased elm. Noting his neglect to accredit this phrase to its rightful owner, chief engineer Jenny Conlee, her accordion neatly strapped to her back, stepped lightly from the caboose and corrected his negligence with the aplomb only an immigrant Hungarian could muster: “Dylan Thomas, sir! Please move along!” But it was too late: an indelible bond had been soldered in that moment of recognition. A few hours later, in a Turkish bath, they revealed their stories to one another between sips of a strange, tangerine liqueur. Not far from that spot, however, two young military dignitaries (John Moen, Nate Query), appropriately lathered, overheard our two heroes’ stories. Was it chance, then, that lead the four unsuspecting bathers to seek to return their soiled undergarments at the same kiosk where worked the poor, bespectacled Colin Meloy? One can surmise all one wants, but the truth should be known that, after adopting the moniker The Decemberists, these five wan vagabonds began playing their peculiarly styled pop music in various concert-halls and brothels all across the globe.

It’s not your cars and bars AND AMPS ON ELEVEN kind of a vibe, is it?

Seriously though a band who play with words, name themselves after a failed Russian revolt, have eclectic taste in music and instruments, how can you go wrong. And best of all there is a live performance recorded by NPR (National Public Radio) over in the States.

The Decemberists Live!
Hear The Decemberists in concert from Washington, D.C.’s 9:30 Club with an opening performance by Rebecca Gates (she was worth a listen as well). This concert originally Web cast live on NPR.org May 6. (Now there are a few minutes of intro but when the band get going, they really get going)
www.npr.org/programs/asc/archives/decemberistslive05/ and also check out a bit of their EP called “The Tain” at
www.npr.org/programs/asc/archives/asc59/ also courtesy of NPR. Its down the bottom of the page.

thatch is fascinated by guitars, music, guitars, production, silly noises, guitars and used to be a musician. Did I mention the thing about the guitars?
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