Well, it's been four full years since the release of The King Is Dead, and the once obscure, nerdy, overly wordy folk-pop group, The Decemberists has bloomed into every one's favorite nerdy, overly wordy folk-pop group. As you know, I'm a huge, almost obsessive fan of these guys, though I do have my share of reservations when it comes to their discography. I wasn't head over heels for TKID, or HoL for that matter, but I always find myself at least appreciating a Decemberists album, and most times flat out adoring them.
However, you already know my feelings on the band's past work and the background to how they became such popular little nerds; lets talk about this new album.
I'll admit, I wasn't crazy about the first single that dropped from this new LP, "Make You Better", it just felt to prim and proper for a band that I will always remember jamming out a song about July. That being said, I did really like the following single, the Nick Drake influenced "Lake Song" which tells a little story about a summer's day spent at the lake with a girl who Colin (who I assume is who this song is about) has a fondness for. But it wasn't until the fantastic "The Wrong Year" that I really got excited for this album, it isn't the most complicated song in the world, or on this album for that matter, but it just sounds so good and has a killer hook to boot.
We also get to see the more personal side to frontman, Colin Meloy, as he writes what are possibly the most directly personal lyrics to ever grace a Decemberists album. For instance, the opener is a track about the band adapting to their new found fame, and has references to the band's change in sound, AXE shampoo and the love that the fans show to them that fuels their creative output. We also get the sweet ode to Colin's family on the closer "A Beginning Song".
But how is the rest of the album? Well, I'd say it is one of the groups most consistent efforts in terms of mood with one track flowing beautifully into another without so much as soft whisper in between. At the same time though, I found some of the tracks here to be just a little mild in terms of energy; "Make You Better" has grown on me, but it still isn't one of my favorites, I'd also put the two short tracks here on my list of the more forgettable moments on the album.
Aside from those few grips though, I think I actually love What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World. It just flows so well and has the great songs that I'd hope it would have, with a touch more eccentricity than what TKID had to offer. I've read some reviews that point to this album having "the best of both worlds" in terms of the two sides of the groups music, and I have to agree with that.
In short, if you're a fan of these guys, there's no reason not to love this album, it has strong melodies, a renewed fondness for storytelling that TKID lacked somewhat, and finds Colin penning some of his most personal lyrics yet. I'm very happy with what The Decemberists managed to put together on this album, and I can't wait to see them play these tracks live.
Happy Decemberists Day!
8.5/10
No comments:
Post a Comment