The Decemberists
Prog-Folk For Indie Kids By Stewart MasonThe Decemberists made the Brit-folk side of progressive rock improbably cool for a new indie generation.
The Decemberists made the Brit-folk side of progressive rock improbably cool for a new indie generation. Taking their name from a short-lived band of revolutionaries in 1820s Imperial Russia, the Decemberists were formed in Portland, Oregon in 2000. After two albums of fairly conventional jangly indie pop songs, singer-songwriter Colin Meloy composed an 18-minute epic based on an Irish folktale called "The Tain." Released by itself as an EP, it sounded heavily influenced by the trad-folk meets prog-rock sound of vintage Fairport Convention. From that point forward, the group's music began taking its cues from the British progressive folk revival of the late 1960s, while Meloy's wry, literary-minded lyrics became considerably more ornate and complex. A major-label jump from the indie Kill Rock Stars to Capitol Records found the band becoming even more ambitious, releasing 2006's The Crane Wife, which included extended song cycles based on a Japanese folktale and William Shakespeare's The Tempest. This was followed by 2009's The Hazards of Love, a full-blown rock opera with songs performed in character by Meloy and guest singers Becky Sharp of Lavender Diamond and Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond.
-
Music Review
The Hazards Of Love
The DecemberistsAn unabashed and entirely successful concept album
>>
-
Profile
Chris Walla Producer & Death Cab For Cutie Guitarist
-
Profile
Lavender Diamond LA-Based Psych Pop Group
-
Music Profile
My Brightest Diamond Classical-Trained Indie Chanteuse
-
Profile
Petra Haden Charlie Haden's Gifted Daughter
-
Profile
Tucker Martine Portland Based Producer, Musician
-
Books Review
33 1/3 Series: The Replacements Let It Be
Colin Meloy -
Books Profile
Maile Meloy Decemberists' Colin Meloy's Sister & Author
-
Music Profile
Norfolk & Western Portland Based M-Ward Related Ambient Folk Group
-
Profile
Tarkio Decemberists' Colin Meloy's Alt-Country Group
-
Music Profile
The Smiths British Indie Pioneers
By Stewart MasonThe most influential British band of the 1980s.
>> -
Profile
Anne Briggs British Female Folkie
-
Music Profile
Cat Stevens British Folk-Rock Star
-
Music: Featured Profile
Neutral Milk Hotel Alt-Folk Catalyst
By Stewart MasonA blend of experimental, psychedelic tendencies with acoustic folk influences…
-
Profile
Jethro Tull Flute Toting Psych-Folk Brit Rock Group
-
Music Profile
Fairport Convention Leaders of the 60s Brit-Folk Revival
