The Decemberists (from the album As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again

The Decemberists (from the album As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again

The Decemberists (from the album As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again available on) (by Danny McCloskey)
A jangle and a high-step begin the song cycle for As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again, the recent release from The Decemberists. For their first album in six years, the Portland, Oregon outfit continues the Roots-based Rock they have nurtured, and cultivated, in their twenty-year existence as a musical collective. The opening cut encourages joining in the revelry when The Decemberists head for the “Burial Ground” to refresh and renew as they are joined by James Mercer (The Shins) on the tune. A mixture of Folk, Rock’n’Roll, Indie Rock, and Roots is the diverse blend of sound that The Decemberists have perfected. Solemn guitar strums march underneath the story of “The Black Maria” while The Decemberists exclaim “Oh No!” on a gypsy campfire rhythm, tenderly professing love in “All I Want Is You” as they trail alongside a dark rumble to tell the tale in “Tell Me What’s on Your Mind”.
As The Decemberists have grown from their Folk Pop beginnings, the constant for the group has been the songwriting of Colin Meloy. Lush with characters and detailed settings, each song stands alone as a story. A stage play acted out through the supportive musical backing from The Decemberists, his words capture attention effortlessly. Chris Funk’s guitar work takes charge for “Born in the Morning” while Jenny Conlee’s keyboards provide tasteful accents and subtle flair. As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again reflects the same quality expected from The Decemberists. “The Reapers” plays out in a rambling story song as a dreamy melody encircles “Joan in the Graden”, the soundscape slowly unraveling and coming back together to exit the cut. As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again offers a greeting for an old friend in “Tell Me What’s on Your Mind” on a sunshine 60’s Pop beat and claims “Never Satisfied” over slow meaningful guitar chords while The Decemberists warn “Don’t Go in the Woods” on a flurry of guitar notes that create an edgy backdrop and proudly march across “America Made Me” on persistent piano chords that keep the groove going strong as instruments layer over the track.  (by Danny McCloskey)
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