By Rauf Islam

I am surprised… well, as much as you can be for a six song EP. The Decemberists, whose stylistic path has zig-zagged across the same desolate, dusty deserts their music recalls, have not added to their smorgasbord of genre-defying exploits. Unlike the brit-folk inspired The Tain or the rock-opera The Hazards of Love, Long Live the King builds upon its predecessor, in this case the largely successful, The King is Dead.

Although both albums are based on the same Americana ethos, Long Live the King is a much different effort, divided into a darker half and an uplifting one. This is perhaps symbolic of their year; Jenny Conlee, the band’s keyboardist being diagnosed with cancer versus their skyward trajectory. But, with a hopefully only a temporary loss of a band member, there comes a new side to a band that seems to have an already limitless number of new sides.

“E.Watson,” is a harrowing ballad dedicated to the murder of Edgar “Bloody” Watson, the infamous sugar cane farmer with a bloodlust. “Drown these everglades/ We laid him in his grave” wails Colin Meloy, over a whisper of acoustic guitar. He is backed by Lauren Veirs and Annalisa Tornfelt who provide a howling lament, almost as if they were witnesses to the death of the title character. “Burying Davy” carries the sinister tone induced in “E.Watson” over to a moody, heavy rock ensemble. Meloy’s thundering vocals are in stark contrast to the accents of electric guitar; this builds an eerie atmosphere, one that is hard not to get lost in. These two songs are the highlights of the album.

“Forgone” is a more upbeat track but decidedly more mainstream and as such feels out of place.”I4U & U4Me” is catchy, if not reminiscent of an early R.E.M. “Sonnet” is also more of the same, until the horns come in and your initial surprise is replaced by a cheek-to-cheek smile. Finally, a cover of the classic Grateful Dead track, “Row Jimmy”, is a beautiful reminder of the band’s ingenuous verve, something that was lacking in the previous album.

“Long Live the King” proves that despite the commercial success the band has achieved, they still possess the same guileless zeal that made “Her Majesty The Decemberists” so enthralling. Its exciting to predict what new sound the band will conquer next. With their hiatus from music fast approaching, however, Long Live the King may be their greatest swan song. Long Live The Decemberists.

4 / 5 bars

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Row Jimmy – The Decemberists by rhinomusic