“No music is easy – even the simple songs can be really hard.” ~ Colin Meloy
Moving on from their rock opera ‘The Hazards of Love’, Colin Meloy and The Decemberists have crafted a lighter American roots-focused work that features the terrific vocals of Gillian Welch on several tracks. This stuff is both infectious and deep, without being moralistic.
Meloy has one of the great voices in American music today, and he’s one damn fine writer. Reminds us of what Band of Horses has been trying to do: bring forth something authentic, unforced, and worth repeated listenings. The King Is Dead will attract the folkies and roots enthusiasts who thought music like this wasn’t being made anymore.
