The Decemberists - The King Is Dead

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Press release

2...according to our Clinton on Fri 14 Jan, 2011.

The Decemberists are one of those unfathomably popular bands who seem to get the love from everyone despite sounding like the kind of American band around in the 80's/90's intended for those listeners who found REM a bit too 'challenging' (Toad the Wet Sprocket anyone? Velvet Elvis? Rembrants?). It's folky college rock with nasal vocals that grate in the same kind of way the guy from Neutral Milk Hotel grates (for me at least, if seemingly no-one else). My dad is a big fan of these and has high hopes for this one, having been put off by the previous one being to proggy. Well by jimminy he has nothing to worry about - they are playing as safe as houses here, everything is in its place, everything plods just so, all guaranteed not to offend.... though just 30 seconds of it has sent Phil scurrying outside for a cigarette.

· The Decemberists announce their new album ‘The
King Is Dead’ on Rough Trade Records. The album, a
set of ten concise, country-based songs, marks a
deliberate turn towards simplicity after the band’s
wildly ambitious and widely acclaimed 2009 songcycle
‘The Hazards Of Love’.

· Produced once again by Tucker Martine, ‘The King Is
Dead’ features special guest appearances by
Americana luminary Gillian Welch on seven tracks and
legendary R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck on three tracks.

· The Decemberists will be performing the album’s lead
single ‘Down By The Water’ on US television via Conan
O’Brien’s newly launched late show ‘Conan’ on TBS.

· ‘The King Is Dead’ showcases the ways in which The
Decemberists - Colin Meloy, Chris Funk, Jenny Conlee,
Nate Query, and John Moen - sound just as glorious in
simple, stripped-down compositions as they do on the
elaborate structures that have defined their work for
years.

· Available on CD and LP. Also available as a special
edition CD including a DVD featuring a 30 minute
making of documentary.