Decemberists - The King is Dead

Pacifico

Anyone listening to this?

Fairly impressed so far, opening track is brilliant! Much better than the Hazzards of Love anyway

calex71

AH thanks for the heads up, forgot this was due out.

Absolutely hated Hazards of Love , just couldn't get into it at all.

Pacifico

Yeah me either! One or two good tracks, thats it.

Track 1:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNTiU_lbrOs

Seems every track has harmonica!! :eek:

calex71

Very country esque butuin a good way, I was going to say hints of REM but then I read Peter Buck played on some of the tracks

Rigor Mortis

really enjyed listening to this. Cant wait to see them.

I think Hazards gets a hard time. Its a very brave album and in fairness the music is very good. The concept is a bit sketchy but I think it holds up well.

markok84

Just listening to it here now, first track was excellent alright. The second track sounds very REM alright. Have to disagree with ye though, I love the Hazards of love.

Mr E

Just listened to it this morning. First great album of the year....

I really think its their best since C&C.

johnny_ultimate

Can't wait to give this a listen, and their gig should be a treat going by the last Vicar Street one!

Surprised at the Hazard of Love negativity. Was the album that really got me into the band, and it's a damn good listen.

calex71

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

Surprised at the Hazard of Love negativity. Was the album that really got me into the band, and it's a damn good listen.

I can't put my finger on why I absolutely hated it , but I genuinely did. Haven't listed to it in yonks , and have no desire to give it another chance. Rare if ever that has happened with a band I really like

I wouldn't mind but the "prose" on the new album ain't worth a flying toss compared to Picaresque, the crane wife, or even dare i say it hazards.... but I love the new one for what it is.

I think with hazards for me the narrative wasn't as easy to follow as what had gone before or too much hard work to follow, which is more a reflection on me than the album really now I think of it.

Aldebaran

Hazards was the album that got me into the band too but, after listening to a good chunk of their other stuff since then, I definitely feel it's their weakest effort. It's the last Decemberists album I would ever recommend to someone.

I'm not a big fan of Crane Wife either, I never got into it the same way as Castaways and Cutouts, Picaresque, or Her Majesty.

The new album sounds great after an initial few listens, loving June Hymn at the moment, it's really making me look forward to summer!

Xavi6

The Crane Wife is their best album imo. Sensational stuff.

Struggled to get into Hazards as well but The Rake's Songs is fantastic.

Looking forward to listening to the new stuff.

Wagon

Love the opening song. Nice tune. What about the rest of it?

Jim

Oh, excellent. Didn't even know about this.

I don't know how anyone thinks anything but Picaresque is the best album. Every track is top drawer. Hazards and Crane Wife were very hit and miss for me. Some great tracks, some very dull ones. Their odl albums are mostly solid though.

johnny_ultimate

Have given it a few listens now, and I like it despite thinking it feels a little bit... slight compared to their last few albums. Not necessarily a bad thing - it's definitely a bit more fun - but lacks the grandiose feel of their best stuff. That said, loving Don't Carry it All and Rox In the Box and a few others. A good album if not a great one based on a few run throughs!

Xavi6

Been listening to it all weekend and it's just a bit too 'nice' for me. I like the darker stuff (Shankhill Butchers, The Culling of the Fold, The Rake's Song etc) so this doesn't do much for me.

It isn't a bad record by any means, and Down By The Water is a great tune, but I think it could be better.