Ironically enough (for me at least), after finishing 2nd in my favorite albums of the year lists twice, in 2005 and 2006, the Decemberists released the "Always the Bridesmaid" single series. It is very early, but it looks like 2009 might be the year they finally top my year end best-of list.
This is a great album, very dense and layered. I love how Becky Stark and Shara Worden (of Diamonds Lavender and My Brightest, respectively) play characters throughout the album.
I think the album is really fantastic. I haven't really paid attention to the storyline in the album...i have a short attention span sometimes in that regard. But the music is great. Definitely.
I love it, as I did their previous efforts. Colin Meloy stated that this started off as just one song and then he just kept going with the idea. They've come full-circle on the stories and even recruited different vocalists (Jim James, Robyn Hitchcock, Becky Stark, Shara Worden) to play the miscellaneous characters on this album.
It's really impressive how they only seem to be growing and expanding their sounds. Some of the songs are progressively growing into these expansive, epic tour de forces. And on a personal level, that children's choir (a la "You Can't Always Get What You Want") is brilliant. Love it.
----- Never say you miss her, never say a word. And do everything she'd never do.
Posts: 6627 | Location: Texas | Registered: 27 December 2005
I'm not sure if this album is good or not. On one hand the production is amazing; on the other, the vocals/melodies leave much to be desired. Then again I keep falling asleep halfway through -_- so maybe I shouldn't judge just yet. Others say they're expanding their sound, while to me it's Decemberists trying to be something that they're not...
You don't have to believe everything you think
Posts: 223 | Location: Chicago | Registered: 19 May 2004
I still prefer the diverse and more gritty "Picaresque," but I think this a big step forward from their last. The Decemberists are so necessary - so different. It's good to get new material from them.
Originally posted by Cyrone: I'm not sure if this album is good or not. On one hand the production is amazing; on the other, the vocals/melodies leave much to be desired. Then again I keep falling asleep halfway through -_- so maybe I shouldn't judge just yet. Others say they're expanding their sound, while to me it's Decemberists trying to be something that they're not...
Man, I am looking for an album I can feel asleep to. I tried Castaways & Cutouts, I tried Sufjan Stevens, I tried Elliot Smith, I tried Wilco, I tried classical... but I am always wide awake at the end. It's funny, because non-music noise of equivalent decibel-level doesn't pose the same problem, but I just can't stop from following the patterns and melody.
What a prodigious genius is this Pococurante! Nothing can please him.
I think it's great ("Wanting Comes in Waves/Repaid" is amazing) but I dunno if I will count it as my best of year. However, I've played it a TON more than any other album this year... so there's that.
------ Aren't there any girls out their who like good music? I need to and want to meet them. My favorite bands are Overkill River, The Nife, Songs:Ohio, and Nuetral Milk Hotel. Please let me know if your into indy music and like to go to show's and drink beer's and makeout.
Posts: 2706 | Location: ATL-abouts. | Registered: 24 October 2006
Hazards of Love is something else. Its a totally different kind of album than the Decemberists have made in the past in my mind. While in each of their other albums, every song was pretty much single worthy, but sometimes at the expense of the total album. HoL is different in that a few of the songs are sort of weak on their own but combine to make an album that is much great than the summation of its parts. I'm looking forward to giving it a few more listens to let it sink in further, but my thoughts on it are very positive thus far.
Originally posted by crob3888: This is the first album so far this year that hits me much harder when listened to from start to finish, not sounding simply like a sum of it's parts.
The first song totally gave me the impression of a Medieval/fairy tale Tommy, which is basically what this album seems to be.
The finest moments for me are "The Wanting Comes In Waves/Repaid" and "The Hazards of Love 4 (The Drowned)."
I like the Tommy comparison. The songs featuring the Queen remind me of the Acid Queen from Tommy
________________ The record buying public shouldn't be voting.
Posts: 1103 | Location: Los Angeles | Registered: 18 December 2006
^ yeah that's how I'd describe their older work as well. Their first epic songs appeared on "Picaresque".. which is the point where I started liking them.
quote:
Originally posted by WebPlus: Man, I am looking for an album I can feel asleep to. I tried Castaways & Cutouts, I tried Sufjan Stevens, I tried Elliot Smith, I tried Wilco, I tried classical... but I am always wide awake at the end. It's funny, because non-music noise of equivalent decibel-level doesn't pose the same problem, but I just can't stop from following the patterns and melody.
This is where indie electronic comes in handy, stuff without patterns/melody. Some examples would be
Orb - Adventures Beyond Ultraworld Eluvium - [anything] Stars of the Lid - And Their Refinement
Honestly I usually don't fall asleep to stuff like Decemberists either, but since my brain hasn't let the melodies sink in, it doesn't follow them. Also consider Sigur Ros - () if you want non-electronic. Then again there's a whole topic about this on some other board...
You don't have to believe everything you think
Posts: 223 | Location: Chicago | Registered: 19 May 2004
I'm not really feeling this album right now. It feels a little too over the top, even by Decemberist standards. It's a bit overlong, again even by Decemberist standards, and I can't quite get into the "heavy" (relatively speaking) parts.
My reaction is "Meh"
Posts: 551 | Location: California | Registered: 06 March 2008
Pitchfork has given the album a 5.7... It figures though. The Decemberists aren't lo-fi (which is apparently the flavor of the week at P4K)or Dan Deacon.
That's what kind of sucks about not downloading an album before it comes out. The critics get their hands on it, and if you're like me and read reviews almost religiously, you can;t help but see the number and be a little disheartened. I'm not reading the full review though. I'm gonna buy Hazards of Love on Tuesday and review it myself. I'm still extremely excited for it.
Image doesn't matter if the music sounds like crap.
Hah. And it's one of their worst reviews in the past few years, too.
"I liked Picaresque a lot, and they haven't sold out but I still uhh don't like it!"
------ Aren't there any girls out their who like good music? I need to and want to meet them. My favorite bands are Overkill River, The Nife, Songs:Ohio, and Nuetral Milk Hotel. Please let me know if your into indy music and like to go to show's and drink beer's and makeout.
Posts: 2706 | Location: ATL-abouts. | Registered: 24 October 2006
Hah. And it's one of their worst reviews in the past few years, too.
"I liked Picaresque a lot, and they haven't sold out but I still uhh don't like it!"
That's ALL I read in the review too! Haha. He just muddles around a few points of how this album was inevitable for the Decemberists to make, but lacks some sort of unmentionable quality which apparently the other albums had.
Originally posted by Avid_Music_Lover: Pitchfork has given the album a 5.7... It figures though. The Decemberists aren't lo-fi (which is apparently the flavor of the week at P4K)or Dan Deacon.
That's what kind of sucks about not downloading an album before it comes out. The critics get their hands on it, and if you're like me and read reviews almost religiously, you can;t help but see the number and be a little disheartened. I'm not reading the full review though. I'm gonna buy Hazards of Love on Tuesday and review it myself. I'm still extremely excited for it.
I'm not sure if Pitchfork really has that much sway as far as established artists like The Decemberists go. They've already put out a lot of material, and the fanbase already exists, and probably isn't going to base their opinion on what Pfork thinks. Still, totally wrong score. It's an awesome album.
And wayyyyy better than Bromst. That album's fun and all, but it's still ultimately gameboy happy hardcore for hipsters.
