starman9000

Crap, I just noticed it's 6.99 there now too for the real album. Wasted 3.99 But I guess I get to listen to it right now...

starman9000

I've been listening to it all day and really enjoy it. It does seem a little generic pop/folk, but that's better than an album full of slow snoozers IMO. I don't know really how to explain it, but I almost get a 90's vibe from it.

cungar

Calamity Song is so good it makes you wish there was more REM ripoffs on the album and less Tom Petty and Neil Young ripoffs.

CapRockBrewingCo.

I don't consider any of them to be "ripoffs." Heavily-influenced yes. Ripoffs no. I also hear influence from The Jayhawks, Wilco, and maybe even some Gram Parsons.

I enjoyed my first listen. The tracks with pedal steel are especially good as is Gillian Welch singing harmony. I think it is a step forward for The Decemberists as they grow musically.

Throwing Copper

This just passed my "download it for free and see how it is before you buy it test."

I LOVE THIS ALBUM!! Three listens and I'm hooked.

40 minutes of pure joy and terrific songs.

I hadn't listened to this band in 5 or 6 years since the first couple of albums. I am thoroughly impressed by this simple yet amazing record.

It's 10 songs and not a lousy one in the bunch. I'll be heading to a store to purchase this before the weekend is over.

I also love that Gillian Welch sings backup on several of the tracks.


This just shows you what well-written simple tunes can do. Leave that complex shit to fucking Radiohead.

CapRockBrewingCo.

It is a great album. Pure joy is right.

I was going to mention...I know a lot of folks disliked "Hazards of Love" (and I didn't care for it as much either) but if you listen to the last track on Hazards, it completely builds a bridge to what they are doing now. Sweet pedal steel, country-tinged and beautiful.

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Mikael79

My local Best Buy (and three of the four within 50 miles of me) were sold out of the regular version of the album. That's a very good sign for the band, and I wasn't too disappointed about having to go home empty-handed.

ResIpsa

This hit #1 in the US.

http://pitchfork.com/news/41351-the-...mber-one-album

I guess if Cake could do it, so can The Decemberists

cungar

Keep in mind this is 2011. They probably only stocked 2 or 3.

CRM114

Colin Meloy is an excellent song writer. It's not easy to write a good song and he does it time and again.

starman9000

Cool.

That cheap download from Amazon couldn't have hurt.

starman9000

If anybody downloaded from Amazon, check you inboxes. I got this today:

"We recently received a new version of the Decemberists song "This Is Why We Fight" that more accurately represents the artist's vision. You can use the code below to download the updated version of the song at no additional charge."

I have no idea what was wrong with the original.

cungar

So now artists can revise albums a few weeks after they come out?

The King is Dead V1.1

Liver&Onions

saw on twitter that it adds a banjo lead in into Dear Avery. Can't verify what it was before though - sorry.

edit:



Maybe the last minute or so of this was truncated in the original AmazonMP3 version?

Throwing Copper

I believe "This Is Why We Fight" has that interlude thingy for the last minute of the track. It's not a big deal. No need to rush out and buy a second copy, you're not missing anything.

Hiro11

I really love this album. It's the kind of album that has a lot of replayability and never wears out its welcome. The songwriting is top notch across the board and Meloy's voice also seems less ... irritating for lack of a better word, the guy really sings on this album. I think my favorite moment on the album is in the first song ("Don't Carry it All") when the bass comes in on the second verse... awesome. The only song I don't really like is "Rox in the Box", but my favorite song on the album "January Hymn" comes in next and saves the day.

starman9000

Yep, about a minute longer.

At least Amazon corrected it for free, not that I knew I was missing anything.


Yeah, the lyrics to that one are about as close to lazy as I've heard from him. I still kind of like it anyway though.

Giles

Tracklist:

"The Singer Addresses His Audience"
"Cavalry Captain"
"Philomena"
"Make You Better"
"Lake Song"
"Till the Water's All Long Gone"
"The Wrong Year"
"Carolina Low"
"Better Not Wake the Baby"
"Anti-Summersong"
"Easy Come, Easy Go"
"Mistral"
"12/17/12"
"A Beginning Song"

US Tour dates:

March 21 - Keller Auditorium - Portland, OR
March 24 - Northrop Auditorium - Minneapolis, MN
March 25 - Riverside Theater - Milwaukee, WI
March 27 - Chicago Theatre - Chicago, IL
March 28 - Royal Oak Music Theatre - Royal Oak, MI
March 30 - Massey Hall - Toronto, ON
March 31 - Benedum Center - Pittsburgh, PA
April 1 - UB Center For The Arts - Buffalo, NY
April 3 - House of Blues - Boston, MA
April 4 - House of Blues - Boston, MA
April 6 - Beacon Theatre - New York, NY
April 7 - Academy of Music - Philadelphia, PA
April 9 - The Fillmore Charlotte - Charlotte, NC
April 10 - The Tabernacle - Atlanta, GA
April 11 - The Tabernacle - Atlanta, GA
April 13 - Ryman Auditorium - Nashville, TN

Merriweather Post Pavillion date: June 4th

wmermine

I like this album, but I haven't met a Decemberists album that I didn't like. Hazards of Love is still my favorite, though. I'm a sucker for a concept album.

starseed1981

Feels like a cross between The King Is Dead & Hazards Of Love. I like it. But like wmermine I wouldn't mind another concept album. Did Walla get behind the boards on this one?

Canis Firebrand

I'm seeing the at the Detroit show. I'll be my first show of theirs and I'm really excited.

I am bummed though that I didn't get in to them earlier.. Esp when they were performing the full Hazards of Love album on tour.

I am enjoying the new album a lot.. For me, best song on the album is A Beginning Song

CRM114

I listened to it once and it sounded like Wilco.

JAA

Wilco? I guess that could be a good (or bad) thing.

CRM114

I listened to it again and didn't hear Wilco. I think there is a meandering slow jam in the middle of the record that made me think that. Actually, "Calvary Captain" sounds like Belle and Sebastian.

Like everything The Decemberists create, its a great album.

PhantomStranger

I think it's better than their last album.