The Decemberists, “The King Is Dead” (Capitol)
You’ll know something is different from the first few measures of the first song on latest record. “Don’t Carry It All” kicks off “The King Is Dead” and serves as a beacon of change. Whereas other Decemberists records have built on what came before, this album is different. Yes, it’s simple and rooted in Americana as opposed to complex and rooted in English folk — but there’s more to it. This record is the Decemberists’ homecoming — the Portland, Ore., band’s nod to their homeland. It’s a moving, even startling, voyage through their backyard.
Ever since we’ve known him, Decemberists frontman Colin Meloy has been singing of another time and place. But now that he’s come home with “The King Is Dead,” it feels like his circle is complete. His band, once an obscurity singing its nü-madrigals in rock clubs, is now on its third album for Capitol Records and using local, familiar knowledge in its music.
Of course, special guests never hurt an exploration of Americana. Like G. Love working with the Avett Brothers or Bright Eyes working with Emmylou Harris, the Decemberists feature Gillian Welch on the majority of this album’s songs — and R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck also sits in on a couple of numbers. (It’s been noted that the new Decemberists ditty “Calamity Song,” featuring Buck, sounds an awful lot like R.E.M.’s oldie “So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)” for good reason.)
But the real stars here are the songs. The instrumentation hasn’t changed much, but the songs’ emotions are rooted in different soil. This will always be remembered as the Decemberists’ first Americana album, and let’s hope it won’t be their last.
The Decemberists will play the Telluride Bluegrass Festival in mid-June. They’ll also play the Boulder Theater on Feb. 9 and the Ogden Theatre on Feb. 10. –Ricardo Baca
Deerhoof, “Deerhoof vs. Evil” (Polyvinyl)
Art rock can be a tedious thing, as self-conscious and deliberate as it is, but San Francisco quartet has always fallen on the playful side of the equation.
“Deerhoof vs. Evil,” the band’s 10th studio album, continues the merry experimentation with its affection for squiggly ’70s synths and the layered sounds of vintage French pop and electro-acoustic acts like Grandaddy.
“I Did Crimes for You” and “Super Duper Rescue Heads!” come off as deceptively cartoonish, employing kitchen-sink instrumentation for clean, direct verses that burst into cute, frenzied noise- rock choruses.
Short instrumentals (“Let’s Dance the Jet”) and glam-rock homages (the mini-epic “The Merry Barracks”) give the band a chance to stretch out, while the denim strut of “Secret Mobilization” and the jazzy, malfunctioning-robot vibe of “Must Fight Current” pingpong between conventional and self-indulgent.
It’s mildly challenging in the same way that atmospheric acts like Stereolab are, massaging nostalgia with clear reference points, but reinforcing the pop core with singer-bassist Satomi Matsuzaki’s tinny melodies.
Like most Deerhoof records, “Vs. Evil” is a snapshot of the band’s chemistry, inspiration and occasional brilliance. But focus? Not so much.
Deerhoof will play the Marquis Theater on Feb. 21. Visit for tickets. –John Wenzel
Say Hi, “Um, Uh Oh” (Barsuk)
After four albums driven by songs centered around lighter themes, one-man-band Eric Elbogen continues to further refine his sound on “Um, Uh Oh.” Where previous records offered guarded hope and optimism, “Um, Uh Oh” focuses on past disappointments and the sinking feeling of history repeating itself. Still, Elbogen recognizes that life will move forward as it must.
Categorizing all of Elbogen’s past work as sunny would be shortsighted, but Say Hi’s previous albums find balance in the quirky tracks scattered throughout the records. Even with a more introspectively mature tone on “Um, Uh Oh,” Elbogen showcases his talents by perfectly pairing his heavier lyrics with lighter indie-pop arrangements which lighten the record. Songs like “Take Ya’ Dancin’,” “All the Pretty Ones” and “Handsome Babies” truly sparkle.
Elbogen deserves credit for taking a risk with this album as it may not sit well with some long time fans who romanticize Elbogen’s geek rock persona of yesteryear, but it shows real musical growth. The tracks “Sister Needs a Settle” and “Lookin’ Good” sound like they could be pulled from other Say Hi albums with their healthy mix of guitars and synthesizer, while “Devils” offers something new with drums and bass being the primary focal points on the track. Not all of the new material works, however, like the organ-infused “Shiny Diamonds” and well-written “My, How it Comes” jump around and at times sound a bit too random in their instrumental arrangements. –Greg Stieber
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Ricardo Baca is the founder and co-editor of and an award-winning critic and journalist at The Denver Post.
John Wenzel is an executive editor of and an award-winning A&E reporter for The Denver Post. He is the author of (Speck Press/Fulcrum) and maintains a of completely random song titles and band names.
Greg Stieber is a Denver freelance writer and regular contributor to Reverb.
