FUV's New Dig: The Decemberists

What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World
The Decemberists

What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World is a sparkling collection of intelligent pop that weaves together the sensibilities of American folk, music traditions from the British Isles, the savvy jangle of XTC, 10,000 Maniacs and R.E.M., and a narrative reminiscent of Al Stewart by way of William Shakespeare.

If the Portland, Oregon band felt pressure in following up 2011's The King Is Dead — which reached number one on the Billboard album chart — it doesn't show. Once again working with producer Tucker Martine, they took their time, the longest they've worked on a single project, and now end the longest album gap in their 15-year career.

Fans know the Decemberists (lead singer and guitarist Colin Meloy; guitarist, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Chris Funk; keyboardist and vocalist Jenny Conlee; bassist Nate Query, and drummer John Moen) as a band that flawlessly combines rich compositions and arrangements with the extraordinary lyrical depth of the band's bard, Meloy.

Guitarist Chris Funk says WATW, WABW is an amalgam of all the different sides of the band. The pairing of the Americana tinged "Carolina Low" and its folky neighbor "Better Not Wake The Baby" contrasts perfectly with the early rock and roll vibe of "Philomena." The horn-punctuated pop of "Cavalry Captain" coexists with the somber acoustic ballad "12-17-12," which references the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut and provides the album with its title.

Sometimes, the band's spectrum is contained within one song, as is the case with "The Singer Addresses His Audience," which builds from an acoustic start to a dense conclusion mirroring the heavier moments of their 2009 progressive rock opera, The Hazards Of Love.

Other highlights on What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World include "The Wrong Year," "Lake Song" and "Make You Better."

As one of the first major albums to be released this year, What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World has set the bar high for the band's peers. And in the process, the Decemberists have created an album that proudly holds its own alongside the rest of the band's brilliant catalog.

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