Written for the Enloe High School Newspaper. May 2009.
Longtime fans of the Decemberists must have been quite surprised at the release of the Portland group's new album. Those folky, whimsical acoustic ballads that the Decemberists are so well known for take a back seat on this album, which is a darkly fantastic prog-rock record about "a maiden knocked up by a shape-shifting beast who may be her future husband". Sonically, this is the band's best, with everything from bouzoukis to Led Zeppelin-esque guitar riffs and bluesy guitar rhythms to a children's choir and everything in between. Much like such classic concept albums such as the Who's "Tommy" and "Quadrophenia" and Pink Floyd's "The Wall", this album is most enjoyable when listened to from start to finish in one sitting.
The Decemberists took a great risk in the sense that they broke away from their comfort zone under the baton of frontman Colin Meloy- and what a great decision it was! People who haven't listened to the Decemberists before should do so quickly- they're performing at Memorial Auditorium this spring! (Again, this was written in 2009. But keep posted for a forthcoming review of the Decemberists' latest album, "The King Is Dead"! -Justin)
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