The Decemberists - The King Is Dead

The Decemberists have become one of the most popular and influential indie folk bands to emerge from the Portland, Ore., roots music scene. Their sixth studio album, The King Is Dead, leans ever closer to catchy indie pop, further from what had, on previous albums, appeared to be a strong narrative muse.

Decemberists frontman Colin Meloy is, without question, a born storyteller and poet. His band's previous albums have woven in thickly, deeply considered mythology. They've been ambitious musical statements, necessary to take as a whole, the way you might determine to not separate a chapter from its novel. As such, they've been little beacons in the digital age, where it's become standard to pluck songs singularly from their albums via any MP3 store.

This time around, though, the band went for a more straightforward approach, nodding to the Smiths and REM (the latter's Peter Buck even appears as a guest on the album). These influences are felt quite strongly on the disc, which is not a bad thing. Had I never known that the Decemberists were capable of building new, singularly unique artistic avenues, I may be far more impressed with The King Is Dead. Had this album come from a different band, it might be easier to praise it as a solid collection of individual songs, with well-timed and well-intentioned instrumental breaks, lush arrangements (but tastefully so), and interesting layers of loquacious lyricism.

But, it's the Decemberists we're talking about here. For them to simply present ten separate songs which make enough sense together to be collected in one place, somehow falls short of their potential.

Don't get me wrong, many of these, taken on their own, are excellent songs (see highlights below). Perhaps Meloy will develop their stories further in the future. In the meantime, many fans will be suited just fine by downloading a couple of individual tunes and calling it a day.

Much like the bands to which the record tips its hat (it's named after the Smiths' The Queen Is Dead), the songs on The King Is Dead are largely dark love songs, ruminating via Meloy's complicated lyricism on complicated emotions. "Rox in the Box" (purchase/download) is a terrific Pogues-ish number showing off the band's solid folk and bluegrass roots, while likely appealing to more mainstream tastebuds. Gillian Welch's presence on "Down by the Water" (purchase/download) is quite a bit more than mentionable, and in fact lends itself to one of the finest moments on the disc. Though you may not be able to tell that's her singing back there, it's easy to feel her influence on the tune.

"June Hymn" (purchase/download) is a beautiful, simple and stripped-down tune, and possibly the best love song on the whole album.

Fans expecting the Decemberists to deliver more along the lines of previous albums will be disappointed. This is a standard album featuring ten standard songs. Some of them are folkier than others, some showcase excellent (if brief) fiddle, keys, and accordion solos. Some include notable folk/Americana guest pickers. And, the whole thing was recorded at Pendarvis Farm (which many folk fans may know as the home of the annual Pickathon Indie Roots Music Festival).

Where the Decemberists have, in the past, delivered sweeping, mind-expanding artistic statements, stretched across entire albums, this time they went for a much smaller goal, allowing each song to speak for itself. As such, the disc is undoubtedly full of good songwriting. Taken all together, though, compared to previous recordings, The King Is Dead falls just short of the bar they've set in the past.