The Decemberists

The Decemberists is an American indie-folk-rock band, formed in Oregon in 2000. The musicians named their group after the decemberists’ rebellion in Russia in 1825. It is not a surprise that the band with such an unusual name plays quite unusual and original music - The Decemberists use a great variety of instruments, including accordion, contrabass, Hammond organ and many others. Thus they get the incredibly atmospheric music with easy recognizable sound.

The release of the musicians’ debut record titled Castaways And Cutouts took place in 2002. Its cover was created by Carson Ellis, Colin Meloy’s wife. The band members enjoyed her artwork so much that all the following covers were also made by Ellis. The long play Castaways And Cutouts got fair reviews from the experts, while the listeners did not have to wait for the new album for a long time. The Decemberists pleased their fans in 2003 by the studio attempt Her Majesty, which proved to be as interesting, as its predecessor. The original music and lyrics helped the group to make a name and to get a truly well-deserved attention to their creativity.

The musicians released their third album Picaresque in 2005. Due to that record they managed to sign the contract with the major label Capitol Records, and a year later The Decemberists issued one of their best long plays titled The Crane Wife (2006), based upon an eponymous Japanese tale. The fans had to wait for the following work for three years, but the traditionally strong album The Hazards Of Love (2009) completely satisfied all their expectations. The rock opera The Hazards Of Love was enjoyed not only by the band’s old listeners, but also by all the rock lovers, which was not a surprise: The Decemberists are able to play easily in many styles and genres.

Early in 2011 The Decemberists presented their new creation The King Is Dead. Inspired by the music of R.E.M. and The Smiths The Decemberists again succeeded in recording of a very atmospheric album. It is worth mentioning that songs Don't Carry It All, Calamity Song and Down By The Water were recorded with R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck, which definitely added some charm. It is still impossible to mix upThe Decemberists’ signature sound with someone else’s, and The King Is Dead was very well received by the experts, who noted the highest level of performance. That long play will be interesting for all the lovers of original music, and such rememberable compositions as Rox In The Box, All Arise! and many others prove that perfectly.