Author Topic: The Decemberists (Read 28832 times)

Mladen · « **Reply #245 on:** January 18, 2018, 11:00:27 AM »

Wow! A new Eels album was announced yesterday, and now this. 2018 is finally shaping up to be a fine year.

This new song, although it reminds me slightly of The Perfect crime II, sounds like they're pushing some boundaries a bit this time around. I'm not sure about the song on the first go, but kudos for doing something different.

KevShmev · « **Reply #246 on:** January 18, 2018, 05:52:07 PM »

Wow, that song was not what I was expecting style-wise, but I liked it a lot.

I like the last album, What a Terrible World..., but I didn't love it, and not much of it really stuck with me, which makes two merely "solid" records in a row. Here's hoping this new song is a sign of a really nice bounce back.

Mladen · « **Reply #247 on:** January 20, 2018, 08:40:41 AM »

The song is a grower. I can see spending so much time with it this weekend.

soupytwist · « **Reply #248 on:** March 16, 2018, 03:59:13 AM »

Just finished my first listen to 'I'll Be Your Girl'. Hmm, first impression is it's a mess, a lot of the songs feel half baked - then right near the end 'Rusalka, Rusalka' appears out of the wreckage and there is The Decemberists I loved. Obviously it needs more listens but right now - meh.

lordxizor · « **Reply #249 on:** March 16, 2018, 08:01:41 AM »

My first impression is similar. Not terribly impressed, but there are some good moments. A few more listens and hopefully more of the good pops out.

SoundscapeMN · « **Reply #250 on:** March 16, 2018, 10:33:44 AM »

kind of gunshy on this new album, but per I really haven't enjoyed an album from these guys since The Crane Wife, I guess I am not expecting a lot.

KevShmev · « **Reply #251 on:** March 16, 2018, 04:57:34 PM »

Damn, I forgot this was coming out today; I will have to grab it. The last two albums were kinda spotty, while still being pretty good overall, so I am hoping this one is more consistent like their best works, ala Picaresque, The Crane Wife and The Hazards of Love.

KevShmev · « **Reply #252 on:** March 16, 2018, 09:47:51 PM »

After one listen, I am not terribly impressed. Hard to believe that they thought songs like We All Die Young and Everything Is Awful were worthy of putting on a record. After a single listen of each, I can't imagine ever listening to either of those songs ever again. The best songs seem to be at the start of the record.

Mladen · « **Reply #253 on:** March 17, 2018, 04:49:07 AM »

Good God, I'm only half way through and I'm already stunned by how many songs I really disliked so far. I'm never one of those listeners that gives up on certain songs after the first listen, but I can hardly imagine some of these tracks growing on me.

Such a shame all of our early impressions is that the album is underwhelming.

Nel · « **Reply #254 on:** March 18, 2018, 07:21:42 PM »

I liked The King Is Dead even though the sound shifted slightly but I couldn't really get into the 2015 album (it's been three years?!) and it's sad to not be hearing great things about this one.

Nekov · « **Reply #255 on:** March 20, 2018, 07:36:09 AM »

Well, definitely a very different album. I did like their last album but this one just seems too much of a meh. It has a couple of good songs but for the most part it's forgettable. They have been steering to a sound that is maybe easier for the general public to get into which is not a bad thing, but here I think they over-did it.
Maybe the album will grow with time, we'll see.

KevShmev · « **Reply #256 on:** March 20, 2018, 06:45:52 PM »

I thought the record from 2015 had a handful of really good/great tunes, but also had some total throwaways.

Not sure I am buying the "the new stuff sounds more commercial" chatter, but while there are some songs on this I like, and I really love the first song, as a whole it is fairly unsatisfying.

soupytwist · « **Reply #257 on:** March 21, 2018, 03:59:30 AM »

Quote from: KevShmev on March 20, 2018, 06:45:52 PM

Not sure I am buying the "the new stuff sounds more commercial" chatter, but while there are some songs on this I like, and I really love the first song, as a whole it is fairly unsatisfying.

Probably not so commercial, I'd say it just sounds like a fairly bog standard indie album. Aside from Colin's unique voice and "Rusalka, Rusalka" (and maybe Cutting Stone - although that sounds more like a b-side) it doesn't really feel like a Decemberist record at all.

KevShmev · « **Reply #258 on:** March 21, 2018, 06:44:16 PM »

To me, Colin's voice is unique enough that when he sings, no matter what the music sounds like, it sounds like the Decemberists.

Mladen · « **Reply #259 on:** March 23, 2018, 01:34:04 PM »

I've only spent a week with the album, but I think this is one of those sad occassions that I have to admit one of my favorite bands released their worst album.

Rusalka, Rusalka/Wild rushes is a classic and Severed is a fun track, I wish they went in that direction stylistically with the entire album. The rest, however, features my least favorite songs by the band. The title track and Once in my life are painfully generic. And then there are tracks like Your ghost, Everything is awful and We all die young that are filled to the brim with poorly constructed vocal melodies, spotty production choices and quirky experimental instrumentation. I'm trying to figure out if Colin and the gang just wanted to be silly or witty with these songs, but they come off as uninspired and unfocused.

KevShmev · « **Reply #260 on:** March 25, 2018, 09:25:32 AM »

Some of the songs feel like they had good ideas that were never really fleshed out, almost like they threw the demo on the album.

Rusalka, Rusalka / Wild Rushes took a couple listens, but I am starting to like that one.

I suspect We All Die Young will be slightly enjoyable live despite the poor vocal melodies because that drum beat will be hard to not tap your foot to, but on record, ick. Everything Is Awful and title track are both painfully poor.

I kinda like Your Ghost, but that one is a good example of what I was talking about. A little more work could have made it a lot better.

ariich · « **Reply #261 on:** March 27, 2018, 11:28:38 AM »

Quote from: Nekov on March 20, 2018, 07:36:09 AM

Well, definitely a very different album. I did like their last album but this one just seems too much of a meh. It has a couple of good songs but for the most part it's forgettable. They have been steering to a sound that is maybe easier for the general public to get into which is not a bad thing, but here I think they over-did it.
Maybe the album will grow with time, we'll see.

I'm not sure it's particularly about how accessible and general public friendly the music is. Personally I'd say The King is Dead is their most poppy and accessible album, and it's fantastic because it does that pop-folk thing so well. The album after that was still pretty good. But with this new one... yeah, it's just most of the songs aren't very interesting. Such a shame.

Nekov · « **Reply #262 on:** March 27, 2018, 12:01:28 PM »

Quote from: ariich on March 27, 2018, 11:28:38 AM

Quote from: Nekov on March 20, 2018, 07:36:09 AM
Well, definitely a very different album. I did like their last album but this one just seems too much of a meh. It has a couple of good songs but for the most part it's forgettable. They have been steering to a sound that is maybe easier for the general public to get into which is not a bad thing, but here I think they over-did it.
Maybe the album will grow with time, we'll see.
I'm not sure it's particularly about how accessible and general public friendly the music is. Personally I'd say The King is Dead is their most poppy and accessible album, and it's fantastic because it does that pop-folk thing so well. The album after that was still pretty good. But with this new one... yeah, it's just most of the songs aren't very interesting. Such a shame.

As I said, moving towards a more accessible sound is not necessarily bad and as you point out the 2 albums that came before this one are good, in spite of what some here think. But this one has lost that Decemberists essence those other 2 still had.

SoundscapeMN · « **Reply #263 on:** February 05, 2024, 06:55:29 PM »

super old bump.

new single coming "Burial Ground" tomorrow 2/6/24

https://twitter.com/TheDecemberists/status/1754580224090812698

also The Tain celebrates its 20th Anniversary on February 23rd btw.

Mladen · « **Reply #264 on:** February 05, 2024, 11:44:54 PM »

Interesting, this could mean a new album is on its way. I'm on the fence about the news, though, not only was their last album six years ago, but I also remember really not loving it.

King Puppies and the Acid Guppies · « **Reply #265 on:** February 06, 2024, 12:02:28 AM »

My expectations for a new album are extremely low. The quality of their albums went downhill fast after The Hazards of Love. The King is Dead was OK, but the last 2 albums were truly awful.

SoundscapeMN · « **Reply #266 on:** February 07, 2024, 10:46:49 PM »

https://open.spotify.com/album/5jodqSew9785i4tEIRLase
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBlJ35D7tss

soupytwist · « **Reply #267 on:** February 07, 2024, 11:39:13 PM »

That's more like it. The last two albums were a huge stepdown in quality 'Terrible World' felt like a collection of B-Sides and 'Ill Be Your Girl' was so bad it seemed it could have been a contract obligation, so obviously lacking any effort!

This however warms my heart, can they deliver another classic?

lordxizor · « **Reply #268 on:** February 11, 2024, 11:08:26 AM »

Burial Ground did absolutely nothing for me. There were some good moments in the last two albums, but they were clearly a large step down from their previous work. I have pretty low expectations for the next album.

SoundscapeMN · « **Reply #269 on:** March 20, 2024, 06:57:27 AM »

back to doing Prog? new album coming June 14th. New 19-minute track "Joan in the Garden"

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/the-decemberists-as-it-ever-was-so-it-will-be-again-album-track-list-1234989941/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nhLuHWcTdo

Mladen · « **Reply #270 on:** March 20, 2024, 01:55:38 PM »

I decided to skip the singles, but I'll check out the album for sure.

lordxizor · « **Reply #271 on:** March 20, 2024, 06:15:27 PM »

Quote from: SoundscapeMN on March 20, 2024, 06:57:27 AM

back to doing Prog? new album coming June 14th. New 19-minute track "Joan in the Garden"

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/the-decemberists-as-it-ever-was-so-it-will-be-again-album-track-list-1234989941/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nhLuHWcTdo

This song had some beautiful moments. Not sure it needed to be 19 minutes

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Author Topic: The Decemberists (Read 28832 times)