The Decemberists
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Decemberists are an American
indie rock Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United Kingdom, United States and New Zealand in the early to mid-1980s. Although the term was originally used to describe rock music released through independent reco ...
band from
Portland, Oregon Portland ( ) is the List of cities in Oregon, most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon, located in the Pacific Northwest region. Situated close to northwest Oregon at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, ...
, formed in 2000. The band consists of
Colin Meloy Colin Patrick Henry Meloy (born October 5, 1974) is an American musician, singer-songwriter and author best known as the frontman of the Portland, Oregon, indie folk rock band the Decemberists. In addition to vocals, he performs with an acousti ...
(lead vocals, guitar), Chris Funk (guitar, multi-instrumentalist),
Jenny Conlee Jennifer Lynn Conlee-Drizos (born December 12, 1971) is an American musician, best known as the accordionist, pianist, organist, keyboardist, melodica player, and occasional backup singer and harmonica, harmonicist for the indie rock quintet The D ...
(piano, keyboards, accordion, backing vocals),
Nate Query Nate Query (born September 5, 1973) is an American musician best known as the bassist of the Portland, Oregon indie rock band The Decemberists. He plays electric bass, upright bass, banjo and cello. He makes appearances on many albums by Portland ...
(bass), and John Moen (drums). , the band has released nine studio albums with their lyrics often focusing on historical incidents and
folklore Folklore is the body of expressive culture shared by a particular group of people, culture or subculture. This includes oral traditions such as Narrative, tales, myths, legends, proverbs, Poetry, poems, jokes, and other oral traditions. This also ...
. Audience participation is a part of their live performances, typically during encores. The band stages whimsical reenactments of sea battles and other centuries-old events, typically of regional interest, or acts out songs with members of the crowd. In 2011, the track " Down by the Water" from their album '' The King Is Dead'' was nominated for Best Rock Song at the
54th Grammy Awards The 54th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 12, 2012, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles being broadcast on CBS honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning October 1, 2010 through September 30, 2011. LL Cool J hosted t ...
.


History


2000: Formation

The Decemberists formed in 2000 when Colin Meloy left his band Tarkio in Montana and moved to Portland, Oregon. There he met Nate Query, who introduced Meloy to Jenny Conlee (they had played together in the band Calobo) and the three scored a silent film together. Playing a solo show prior to meeting Query, Meloy met Chris Funk. Funk was a fan of Tarkio and played pedal steel on the first two Decemberists releases, not "officially" becoming a member until the third effort. The band's first drummer, Ezra Holbrook, was replaced by Rachel Blumberg after '' Castaways and Cutouts'', who in turn was replaced by John Moen after '' Picaresque''. The band's name refers to the
Decembrist revolt The Decembrist revolt () was a failed coup d'état led by liberal military and political dissidents against the Russian Empire. It took place in Saint Petersburg on , following the death of Emperor Alexander I. Alexander's brother and heir ...
, an 1825 insurrection in
Imperial Russia Imperial is that which relates to an empire, emperor/empress, or imperialism. Imperial or The Imperial may also refer to: Places United States * Imperial, California * Imperial, Missouri * Imperial, Nebraska * Imperial, Pennsylvania * ...
. Meloy has stated that the name is also meant to invoke the "drama and melancholy" of the month of December. ''5 Songs'', the band's debut
extended play An extended play (EP) is a Sound recording and reproduction, musical recording that contains more tracks than a Single (music), single but fewer than an album. Contemporary EPs generally contain up to eight tracks and have a playing time of 1 ...
, was self-released in 2001. The members at that time played for several hours in a McMenamins hotel the night before to raise the money needed to record in the studio the next day. This originally served as a demo tape and the five songs on it (minus "Apology Song") were recorded in under two hours.


2003–2005: Kill Rock Stars

After releasing its first full record, '' Castaways and Cutouts'', on Hush Records, the group moved onto the
Kill Rock Stars Kill Rock Stars is an independent record label founded in February 1991 by Slim Moon and Tinuviel Sampson, and based in both Olympia, Washington, and Portland, Oregon. The label has released a variety of work in different genres, but it was orig ...
recording label. After the re-release of ''Castaways'', ''
Her Majesty the Decemberists ''Her Majesty the Decemberists'' is the second full-length album by The Decemberists, released on September 9, 2003, by Kill Rock Stars. The song "Song for Myla Goldberg" was written years earlier, after Colin Meloy had been a media escort for ...
'' was released in 2003. In 2004, the band released " The Tain", an eighteen-and-a-half minute single track based on the Irish mythological epic . The band's final album with Kill Rock Stars was '' Picaresque'', which was recorded in a former church. In March 2005, the band distributed a music video via
BitTorrent BitTorrent is a Protocol (computing), communication protocol for peer-to-peer file sharing (P2P), which enables users to distribute data and electronic files over the Internet in a Decentralised system, decentralized manner. The protocol is d ...
, the self-produced " 16 Military Wives" (from '' Picaresque''). In the same month, the band's equipment trailer was stolen; fans contributed to a replacement fund, and another fundraiser was organized via an
eBay eBay Inc. ( , often stylized as ebay) is an American multinational e-commerce company based in San Jose, California, that allows users to buy or view items via retail sales through online marketplaces and websites in 190 markets worldwide. ...
auction, with buyers bidding for copies of '' Colin Meloy Sings Morrissey'' and original artwork by Carson Ellis. The band also received help from Lee Kruger, the Shins,
the Dandy Warhols The Dandy Warhols are an American psychedelic rock, psychedelic/ band, formed in Portland, Oregon, Portland, Oregon, in 1994 by singer-guitarist Courtney Taylor-Taylor and guitarist Peter Holmström. They were later joined by keyboardist Zia Mc ...
, and other musicians. C.F. Martin & Company offered 6- and 12-string guitars on permanent loan. In early April, police discovered the trailer and a portion of the band's merchandise in
Clackamas, Oregon Clackamas ( ) is an unincorporated community and former census-designated place (CDP) in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States, and is a suburb of Portland. The population was approximately 7,000 . Clackamas is home to Camp Withycombe, whi ...
, but the instruments and equipment were not recovered.


2005–2006: Capitol Records debut and ''The Crane Wife''

On December 12, 2005, Meloy revealed to
Pitchfork Media ''Pitchfork'' (formerly ''Pitchfork Media'') is an American online music magazine founded in 1996 by Ryan Schreiber in Minneapolis. It originally covered Alternative rock, alternative and independent music, and expanded to cover genres includin ...
that the band had signed to
Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007), and simply known as Capitol, is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-base ...
, and planned to begin recording their major label debut with producers
Tucker Martine Tucker Martine (born January 14, 1972) is an American record producer, musician and composer. In 2010, ''Paste'' Magazine included Martine in their list of the 10 Best Producers of the Decade. Early life Tucker Martine, the son of singer and son ...
and
Chris Walla Christopher Ryan Walla (born November 2, 1975) is an American musician, record producer, and film music composer, best known for being a former guitarist and songwriter for the band Death Cab for Cutie. Musical career Early bands While at B ...
(of
Death Cab for Cutie Death Cab for Cutie (commonly abbreviated to DCFC or Death Cab) is an American rock music, rock band formed in Bellingham, Washington, in 1997. Death Cab for Cutie's music has been classified as indie rock, indie pop, and alternative rock. The ...
) in April 2006. The band's first album on Capitol, '' The Crane Wife'', was released on October 3, 2006. The release was accompanied by an appearance the same day on ''
Late Night with Conan O'Brien ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' is an American television talk show broadcast by NBC. The show is the second installment of the ''Late Night (franchise), Late Night'' franchise originally established by David Letterman. Hosted by Conan O'Brie ...
'', during which the band performed "O Valencia!". The supporting tour (called "The Rout of the Patagons Tour") began on October 17, 2006, at Portland, Oregon's Crystal Ballroom. The opening act was Lavender Diamond. Later in the tour, Alasdair Roberts opened for the band. In 2006, ''The Crane Wife'' was voted
NPR National Public Radio (NPR) is an American public broadcasting organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It serves as a national Radio syndication, syndicator to a network of more ...
listeners' favorite album of the year, as announced on the December 5 episode of '' All Songs Considered'', and it remains one of the Decemberists' most critically acclaimed records. In November 2006, the band encouraged fans to create a music video for the single " O Valencia!" using footage of the band in front of a green screen. On his
Comedy Central Comedy Central is an American Cable television in the United States, cable television channel, channel owned by Paramount Global through its Paramount Media Networks, network division's Paramount Media Networks#MTV Entertainment Group, MTV Ente ...
program,
Stephen Colbert Stephen Tyrone Colbert ( ; born May 13, 1964) is an American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host. He is best known for hosting the satirical Comedy Central program ''The Colbert Report'' from 2005 to ...
started a mock feud with the band, claiming his "green screen challenge" came first; the band countered that its 2005 on-stage
lightsaber A lightsaber is a fictional energy sword featured throughout ''Star Wars''. A typical lightsaber is shown as a luminous laser sword about in length emitted from a metal hilt around in length. First introduced in the original ''Star Wars'' ...
fight in San Francisco preceded Colbert's idea. The feud culminated in a December 20 guitar solo competition on Colbert's show, with lead guitarist Funk representing the band. After Colbert feigned a hand injury,
Peter Frampton Peter Kenneth Frampton (born 22 April 1950) is an English-American guitarist, singer, and songwriter who rose to prominence as a member of the rock bands the Herd and Humble Pie. Later in his career, Frampton found significant success as a s ...
took over for Colbert and won an audience vote. Show guests got involved, with
New York Governor The governor of New York is the head of government of the U.S. state of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor ha ...
-elect
Eliot Spitzer Eliot Laurence Spitzer (born June 10, 1959) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 54th governor of New York from 2007 until his resignation in 2008 after a prostitution scandal. A member of the Democratic Party, he was also ...
and Dr.
Henry Kissinger Henry Alfred Kissinger (May 27, 1923 – November 29, 2023) was an American diplomat and political scientist who served as the 56th United States secretary of state from 1973 to 1977 and the 7th National Security Advisor (United States), natio ...
declaring, "Tonight, I think the American people won." The prize for winning the challenge was revealed to be a copy of ''The Crane Wife''. According to Meloy, the Colbert challenge was not scripted, though the band was told that Frampton would step in for Colbert. The song "Sons and Daughters" was performed by characters in the ninth season of the American comedy television series ''
The Office ''The Office'' is the title of several mockumentary sitcoms based on a British series originally created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant as '' The Office'' in 2001. The original series also starred Gervais as manager and primary charac ...
''. It originally aired on
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
on March 14, 2013.


2007: "A Bit of Grass-Stain Does Not a Ruined Pair of Jeans Make" tour

In July 2007, the band embarked on a five-date tour with a full orchestral accompaniment. On July 7, the tour put the band on the stage of the historic
Hollywood Bowl The Hollywood Bowl is an amphitheatre and Urban park, public park in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles, California. It was named one of the 10 best live music venues in the United States by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine in 2018 and was listed on ...
for the first time, pairing them with the
Los Angeles Philharmonic The Los Angeles Philharmonic (LA Phil) is an American orchestra based in Los Angeles, California. The orchestra holds a regular concert season from October until June at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and a summer season at the Hollywood Bowl from ...
. On July 15, the band performed with The Mann Festival Orchestra at the
Mann Center for the Performing Arts The Mann Center for the Performing Arts (formerly known as the Robin Hood Dell West and Mann Music Center) is a nonprofit performing arts center located in the Centennial District of Philadelphia's West Fairmount Park, built in 1976 as the su ...
in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
, where they debuted a new song. On July 23 with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra at the legendary Chastain Park Amphitheater in Atlanta, Georgia. The band then played a free concert in Chicago at the
Millennium Park Millennium Park is a public park located in the Chicago Loop, Loop Community areas of Chicago, community area of Chicago, operated by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs. The park, opened in July 2004, is a prominent civic center near t ...
with the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra. On October 6, 2007, the band announced the cancellation of the remainder of their European tour, citing the ill health of a band member. On November 1, 2007, the band further canceled the remaining 28 shows of their "Long and Short of It" tour.


2008: ''Always the Bridesmaid''

The members of The Decemberists appeared, individually billed (as "
Colin Meloy Colin Patrick Henry Meloy (born October 5, 1974) is an American musician, singer-songwriter and author best known as the frontman of the Portland, Oregon, indie folk rock band the Decemberists. In addition to vocals, he performs with an acousti ...
, Chris Funk,
Jenny Conlee Jennifer Lynn Conlee-Drizos (born December 12, 1971) is an American musician, best known as the accordionist, pianist, organist, keyboardist, melodica player, and occasional backup singer and harmonica, harmonicist for the indie rock quintet The D ...
,
Nate Query Nate Query (born September 5, 1973) is an American musician best known as the bassist of the Portland, Oregon indie rock band The Decemberists. He plays electric bass, upright bass, banjo and cello. He makes appearances on many albums by Portland ...
, and John Moen"), to perform in support of Democratic presidential candidate
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
at a rally at the
Tom McCall Waterfront Park Governor Tom McCall Waterfront Park is a park located in downtown Portland, Oregon, along the Willamette River. After the 1974 removal of Harbor Drive, a major milestone in the freeway removal movement, the park was opened to the public in 19 ...
in
Portland, Oregon Portland ( ) is the List of cities in Oregon, most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon, located in the Pacific Northwest region. Situated close to northwest Oregon at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, ...
, on May 18, 2008. On October 14, 2008 the band began releasing a series of singles called ''Always the Bridesmaid''; a volume was released every month until the end of the year. The band also took up a limited tour in support of the singles, including an appearance on ''
Late Night with Conan O'Brien ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' is an American television talk show broadcast by NBC. The show is the second installment of the ''Late Night (franchise), Late Night'' franchise originally established by David Letterman. Hosted by Conan O'Brie ...
''.


2009: ''The Hazards of Love''

'' The Hazards of Love'' was released on March 24, 2009 on Capitol Records, under Red Light Management (Jason Colton and Ron Laffitte). It was made available for download on iTunes one week earlier, on March 17, 2009. The track "The Rake's Song" was put up for download on The Decemberists website in advance of the album's release. During Meloy's 2008 U.S. tour, he played several new songs that were included on the album. The album was produced by Tucker Martine. In a post on ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...
s "Rock 'n' Roll Daily" blog, the band revealed more details about the album. The original plan was for ''The Hazards of Love'' to be a staged musical. However, it seems that the story was "unstageable" in such a format. Instead the band played the entire album start to finish at each concert on the spring tour. A press release read: "The album began when Meloy – long fascinated by the
British folk revival The British folk revival incorporates a number of movements for the collection, preservation and performance of folk music in the United Kingdom and related territories and countries, which had origins as early as the 18th century. It is particu ...
of the 1960s – found a copy of revered vocalist
Anne Briggs Anne Patricia Briggs (born 29 September 1944) is an English folk singer. Although she travelled widely in the 1960s and early 1970s, appearing at folk clubs and venues in Britain and Ireland, she never aspired to commercial success or to achie ...
's 1966 EP, titled '' The Hazards of Love''. Since there was no actual song with the album's title, he set out to write one, but was soon immersed in something much larger. ''The Hazards of Love'' tells the tale of a woman named Margaret; her shape-shifting lover, William; his fey forest queen mother; and a cold-blooded, lascivious
rake Rake may refer to: Common meanings * Rake (tool), a horticultural implement, a long-handled tool with tines * Rake (stock character), a man habituated to immoral conduct * Rake (poker), the commission taken by the house when hosting a poker game ...
, who recounts with spine-chilling ease how he came "to be living so easy and free" in "The Rake's Song". Lavender Diamond's Becky Stark and
My Brightest Diamond My Brightest Diamond is the project of singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Shara Nova. The band has released five studio albums and a remix album, five studio EPs and four remix EPs, and made several tours across the United States. Hist ...
's Shara Nova deliver the lead vocals for the female characters, while
My Morning Jacket My Morning Jacket is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1998. The band consists of vocalist/guitarist Jim James, bassist Tom Blankenship, drummer Patrick Hallahan, guitarist Carl Broemel, and keyboardist Bo Kos ...
's Jim James,
Robyn Hitchcock Robyn Rowan Hitchcock (born 3 March 1953) is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist. While primarily a vocalist and guitarist, he also plays harmonica, piano, and bass guitar. After leading the Soft Boys in the late 1970s and releasing the ...
and
The Spinanes The Spinanes were an American indie rock band, primarily active during the 1990s. The band was founded by and initially consisted only of singer-songwriter/guitarist Rebecca Gates and drummer Scott Plouf. They released three albums on the Sub ...
' Rebecca Gates appear in supporting roles. The range of sounds reflects the characters' arcs, from the accordion's singsong lilt in "Isn't it a Lovely Night?" to the heavy metal thunder of 'The Queen's Rebuke/The Crossing. On February 9, 2009, the Decemberists announced in a newsletter to fans that they would be embarking on the first leg of the "A Short Fazed Hovel" Tour 2009 starting on May 19 in Los Angeles at the Hollywood Palladium. The newsletter included a complete list of dates for the first leg of the tour ending on June 14 at the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee. On Monday April 27, the band performed a shortened version of "The Wanting Comes in Waves/Repaid" on
The Colbert Report ''The Colbert Report'' ( ) is an American late night television, late-night Late-night talk show, talk and news satire television program hosted by Stephen Colbert that aired four days a week on Comedy Central from October 17, 2005, to December ...
. On August 14, 2009, the Decemberists played in Pittsburgh at the Benedum Center. During the show, the band members performed a skit where they ran up and down the aisles participating in a fictitious battle at Fort Pitt. On September 19, 2009, The Decemberists played a "lottery show", originally billed as a "by request" show, at Terminal 5 in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
. The setlist was composed of songs drawn from a large bingo turner kept on stage. The master of ceremonies for the evening was singer/songwriter John Wesley Harding and the opening act was
Laura Veirs Laura Pauline Veirs (born October 24, 1973) is an American singer-songwriter based in Portland, Oregon. She is known for her folk and alternative country records and live performances as well as her collaboration with Neko Case and k.d. lang o ...
and the Hall of Flames. The randomized setlist included "July, July!", "Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then)", "The Tain I-V", "Annan Water", "The Crane Wife 3" and "The Island/Come and See/The Landlord's Daughter/You'll Not Feel the Drowning", and an original song, as a bingo ball suggested, called "Miracle on the Hudson". In 2009, The Decemberists also contributed the song "Sleepless" to the AIDS benefit album '' Dark Was the Night'', which was produced by the Red Hot Organization. During their European tour in the winter of 2010, the band performed "
The Mariner's Revenge Song ''Picaresque'' is the third studio album from The Decemberists. It was released in 2005 on the Kill Rock Stars record label. The word "picaresque" refers to a form of satirical prose originating in Spain, depicting realistically and often humorou ...
" at the conclusion of each date. The audience was encouraged to scream as if they were being consumed by a whale mentioned in the track's narrative while the band pretended to die on stage.


2010–2011: ''The King Is Dead'' and hiatus

The Decemberists remained off tour as they embarked on a new studio album. On September 4, 2010, the band opened for
Neko Case Neko Richelle Case ( ; born September 8, 1970) is an American singer-songwriter and member of the Canadian indie rock group the New Pornographers. Case's singing voice has been described by contemporaries and critics as a "flamethrower", "a pow ...
and the headliner,
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...
, the first day of the Bumbershoot Arts and Music Festival in Seattle, WA. There, they announced that they were wrapping up recording of a new album and debuted three of its tracks. '' The King Is Dead'' was released on January 14, 2011, with
Peter Buck Peter Lawrence Buck (born December 6, 1956) is an American musician and songwriter. He was a co-founder and the lead guitarist of the alternative rock band R.E.M.; he played the banjo and mandolin on several R.E.M. songs. Throughout his caree ...
of
R.E.M. R.E.M. was an American alternative rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and lead vocalist Michael Stipe, who were students at the University of Georgia. One of the fir ...
contributing instrumentation to three of its songs. Colin Meloy later affirmed that R.E.M. had been an inspiration during the writing and recording of some of the album's material. "Down by the Water", a track from the new album, was released via the band's official site on November 2, and was immediately available on iTunes as a free download. The song would later be nominated for Best Rock Song at the
54th Grammy Awards The 54th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 12, 2012, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles being broadcast on CBS honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning October 1, 2010 through September 30, 2011. LL Cool J hosted t ...
. ''The King Is Dead'' debuted at No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' 200 in the United States upon its release, the first time a Decemberists album would achieve this. As compared to the band's previous work, which was influenced by the music of the
British folk revival The British folk revival incorporates a number of movements for the collection, preservation and performance of folk music in the United Kingdom and related territories and countries, which had origins as early as the 18th century. It is particu ...
, ''The King Is Dead'' was more influenced by traditionally American genres including
country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...
,
blues Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...
, and Americana. The Decemberists' "Popes of Pendarvia World Tour" in support of ''The King Is Dead'' began with a show on January 25, 2011 at Beacon Theatre in New York City. The tour, which included engagements throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe, ended on August 26 at the McMenamins Edgefield in Troutdale, Oregon. During the tour, on May 3, it was announced on The Decemberists' official site that Jenny Conlee had been diagnosed with
breast cancer Breast cancer is a cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a Breast lump, lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, Milk-rejection sign, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipp ...
and would miss most of the band's remaining tour dates while receiving treatment and recovering. In support of their bandmate, the band designed a 'Team Jenny
charity t-shirt
for the Yellow Bird Project to raise money for
Planned Parenthood The Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. (PPFA), or simply Planned Parenthood, is an American nonprofit organization
. Conlee would later make a full recovery after her cancer went into remission. Meanwhile, on April 7, 2011, the band released a music video for their song "This Is Why We Fight". Directed by Aaron Stewart-Ahn, the video depicts a band of teenagers living in a bleak, post-apocalyptic society. Disgusted with the tyrannical rule of their "king", one boy and one girl lead a splinter group away from the camp. Outraged, the king and his forces attack, but the video cuts to black before any resolution can be seen. In August, an eight-song set was released on iTunes featuring six previously released tracks and two new covers: Leonard Cohen's "Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye" and the Fruit Bats' "When U Love Somebody". Later that month, a new music video was debuted for the track entitled "Calamity Song". The video depicts a game, played on a tennis court by children, of simulated thermonuclear war as described in the "Eschaton" scene of
David Foster Wallace David Foster Wallace (February 21, 1962 – September 12, 2008) was an American writer and professor who published novels, short stories, and essays. He is best known for his 1996 novel ''Infinite Jest'', which ''Time (magazine), Time'' magazine ...
's novel '' Infinite Jest''. Meloy announced during the "Popes of Pendarvia" tour that the group would take a multi-year hiatus once the touring cycle was over. To cap off this period of activity, the band released the follow-up outtake EP '' Long Live the King'' on November 1, 2011, as well as a live album from their tour for ''The King is Dead'' titled '' We All Raise Our Voices to the Air (Live Songs 04.11–08.11)'' on March 13, 2012. In addition, the band recorded a song for ''
The Hunger Games ''The Hunger Games'' are a series of Young adult fiction, young adult Dystopian fiction, dystopian novels written by American author Suzanne Collins. The series consists of a trilogy that follows teenage protagonist Katniss Everdeen, and two ...
'' soundtrack, called "One Engine". The soundtrack, '' The Hunger Games: Songs from District 12 and Beyond'', was released on March 20, 2012. While on hiatus, the group's only activity as The Decemberists was a cameo appearance on the 7th episode in the 24th season of ''
The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening, James L. Brooks and Sam Simon for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It is a Satire (film and television), satirical depiction of American life ...
'', in which the band was rendered in the show's traditional style of animation and presented as the hip, new music teachers of Springfield Elementary. As well, the episode's theme music was performed with the signature folk flair of The Decemberists.


2014–2015: ''What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World''

During a solo tour in 2013, Meloy announced that The Decemberists would end their hiatus and begin working on a new album within the next year. The hiatus officially concluded on March 5, 2014, with the announcement of two headlining shows at Portland's Crystal Ballroom, the band's first shows in three years, where they played their debut album, '' Castaways and Cutouts'', in its entirety. On April 24, further establishing their return, the band performed on the Season 6 finale of the
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
comedy series '' Parks and Recreation''. Additionally, The Decemberists were the mystery band for the 2014 Boston Calling Music Festival, where they played on Saturday, May 24. On November 3, 2014, "Make You Better", The Decemberists' first single off the new album, was released, and on January 20, 2015, the band's seventh studio album, '' What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World'', was released. To commemorate both the release of the new album and the Decemberists' success as a whole, January 20 was officially declared "Decemberists Day" in the group's hometown of
Portland, Oregon Portland ( ) is the List of cities in Oregon, most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon, located in the Pacific Northwest region. Situated close to northwest Oregon at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, ...
, by mayor Charlie Hales. In support of the album, The Decemberists made late-night appearances on ''
Jimmy Kimmel Live! ''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'', sometimes shortened to ''JKL'', is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, and broadcast on ABC. The nightly hour-long show tapes and is based out of the Hollywood Masonic Temple in Hollywo ...
'' and '' Conan'', and on February 11, embarked on a European tour which included dates in Ireland, the UK, The Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, and Italy. A North American tour began on March 21, 2015, in the band's hometown of Portland, Oregon. On October 9, 2015, The Decemberists released a five-track EP compiled from leftover tracks recorded during the ''What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World'' sessions entitled '' florasongs''.


2017–2018: ''Offa Rex''

A collaborative album titled '' The Queen of Hearts'' with UK folk artist Olivia Chaney was released under the name ''Offa Rex'' on Nonesuch Records on July 14, 2017. The album is composed mainly of versions of traditional and British folk revival songs from the 1970s. U.S. tour dates were announced for July and August 2017. In late 2017, the band contributed "Ben Franklin's Song", with lyrics by ''
Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: * Alexander Hamilton (1755/1757–1804), first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States * ''Hamilton'' (musical), a 2015 Broadway musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda ** ''Hamilton'' (al ...
'' creator
Lin-Manuel Miranda Lin-Manuel Miranda (; born January 16, 1980) is an American songwriter, actor, singer, filmmaker, rapper, and librettist. He created the Broadway musicals '' In the Heights'' and ''Hamilton'', and the soundtracks for the animated films '' Moana' ...
, to Miranda's monthly "Hamildrops".


2018–present: ''I'll Be Your Girl'' and ''As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again''

On January 17, 2018, the band announced the new album ''
I'll Be Your Girl ''I'll Be Your Girl'' is the eighth studio album by the American indie rock band The Decemberists, released on March 16, 2018 on Capitol Records, Capitol and Rough Trade Records, Rough Trade. Produced by John Congleton, the band experimented wi ...
'', released on March 16. The album is produced by John Congleton and was accompanied by a tour. On August 14, the band's concert at Prospect Park Bandshell (part of the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn Festival) was broadcast live on
WFUV WFUV (90.7 FM) is a non–commercial radio station licensed to New York, New York. The station is owned by Fordham University, with studios on its Bronx campus and its antenna atop the nearby Montefiore Medical Center. WFUV first went on the ...
. Along with newer material, the band performed '' The Crane Wife'' in its entirety. On December 14 of that year, they released an EP, ''Traveling On''. ''
Pitchfork A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials. The term is also applie ...
'' highlighted that the band had planned a 2020 tour for their twentieth anniversary; however, it "was bumped to 2021 before being canceled outright". The group celebrated their twentieth anniversary with a series of streamed concerts in April 2021. Their North American tour in August 2022 was titled ''Arise From The Bunkers''. In September 2023, the band began work on their ninth studio album. On February 6, 2024, the band announced the release of new song "Burial Ground" and a forthcoming North American tour. On March 19, they released the song "Joan in the Garden" and announced their album would be called '' As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again''. The album was released on June 14, 2024, on YABB Records.


Musical style

The group's songs range from upbeat pop to instrumentally lush ballads, and often employ instruments like the
accordion Accordions (from 19th-century German language, German ', from '—"musical chord, concord of sounds") are a family of box-shaped musical instruments of the bellows-driven free reed aerophone type (producing sound as air flows past a Reed (mou ...
, keyboards, and
upright bass The double bass (), also known as the upright bass, the acoustic bass, the bull fiddle, or simply the bass, is the largest and lowest-pitched string instrument, chordophone in the modern orchestra, symphony orchestra (excluding rare additions ...
. In its lyrics, the band eschews the introspection common to modern rock, instead favoring a
storytelling Storytelling is the social and cultural activity of sharing narrative, stories, sometimes with improvisation, theatre, theatrics or embellishment. Every culture has its own narratives, which are shared as a means of entertainment, education, cul ...
approach, as evidenced in songs such as "My Mother Was a Chinese Trapeze Artist" from the '' 5 Songs'' EP and "
The Mariner's Revenge Song ''Picaresque'' is the third studio album from The Decemberists. It was released in 2005 on the Kill Rock Stars record label. The word "picaresque" refers to a form of satirical prose originating in Spain, depicting realistically and often humorou ...
" on '' Picaresque''. The band's songs convey tales ranging from whimsical ("The Sporting Life", "Apology Song") to epic (" The Tain") to dark ("Odalisque", "The Rake's Song") to political ("16 Military Wives", "
Valerie Plame Valerie Elise Plame (born August 13, 1963) is an American writer, spy, novelist, and former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officer. As the subject of the 2003 Plame affair, also known as the CIA leak scandal, Plame's identity as a CIA offic ...
"), and often invoke historical events and themes from around the world ("Yankee Bayonet", "Shankill Butchers"). Their musical style has been described as
indie rock Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United Kingdom, United States and New Zealand in the early to mid-1980s. Although the term was originally used to describe rock music released through independent reco ...
,
baroque pop Baroque pop (sometimes called baroque rock) is a fusion genre that combines rock music with particular elements of classical music. It emerged in the mid-1960s as artists pursued a majestic, orchestral sound and is identifiable for its appropria ...
,
indie pop Indie pop (also typeset as indie-pop or indiepop) is a music genre and subculture that combines guitar pop with a DIY ethic in opposition to the style and tone of mainstream pop music. It originated from British post-punk in the late 1970s and s ...
,
indie folk Indie folk (also called alternative folk) is an alternative genre of music that arose in the 1990s among musicians from indie rock scenes influenced by folk music. Characteristics The staff of '' Paste Magazine'' said in 2020: "No music genre ...
,
alternative rock Alternative rock (also known as alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative) is a category of rock music that evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s. Alternative rock acts achieved mainstream success in the 1990s w ...
,
folk rock Folk rock is a fusion genre of rock music with heavy influences from pop, English and American folk music. It arose in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom in the mid-1960s. In the U.S., folk rock emerged from the folk music re ...
, and
orchestral pop Orchestral pop is pop music that has been arranged and performed by a symphonic orchestra. It is sometimes used interchangeably with the terms symphonic pop and chamber pop. History During the 1960s, pop music on radio and in both American and ...
. The band's 2009 release, ''The Hazards of Love'', supplemented their usual folk and alternative style with
progressive rock Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog) is a broad genre of rock music that primarily developed in the United Kingdom through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early-to-mid-1970s. Initially termed " progressive pop", the ...
and
metal A metal () is a material that, when polished or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electrical resistivity and conductivity, electricity and thermal conductivity, heat relatively well. These properties are all associated wit ...
.


Influences and character

Meloy confessed a "slavish love" for
Morrissey Steven Patrick Morrissey ( ; born 22 May 1959), known :wikt:mononym, mononymously as Morrissey, is an English singer and songwriter. He came to prominence as the frontman and lyricist of rock band the Smiths, who were active from 1982 to 198 ...
, one of his principal influences, to whom he has a tattoo dedicated, and has made "a sort of pilgrimage" to the site of the cover photograph for
the Waterboys The Waterboys are a rock band formed in 1983 by Scottish musician and songwriter Mike Scott (Scottish musician), Mike Scott. The band's membership, past and present, has been composed mainly of musicians from Britain and Ireland, with Scott re ...
' '' Fisherman's Blues'', an album he "wore out from obsessively repeated listens." The band has also cited their liking for
Siouxsie and the Banshees Siouxsie and the Banshees ( ) were a British Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1976 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux and bass guitarist Steven Severin. Post-punk pioneers, they were widely influential, both over their contemporaries and later ...
, and the pop tunes of
R.E.M. R.E.M. was an American alternative rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and lead vocalist Michael Stipe, who were students at the University of Georgia. One of the fir ...
and
XTC XTC were an English rock band formed in Swindon in 1972. Fronted by songwriters Andy Partridge (vocals, guitars) and Colin Moulding (vocals, bass), the band gained popularity during the rise of punk and new wave in the 1970s, later playing ...
. The band also draws inspiration from British and Irish folk music.


Band members

Current members *
Colin Meloy Colin Patrick Henry Meloy (born October 5, 1974) is an American musician, singer-songwriter and author best known as the frontman of the Portland, Oregon, indie folk rock band the Decemberists. In addition to vocals, he performs with an acousti ...
– lead vocals, rhythm guitar, bouzouki, harmonica (2000–present) * Chris Funk – lead guitar, pedal steel, dobro, mandolin, banjo, theremin, backing vocals (2000–present) *
Nate Query Nate Query (born September 5, 1973) is an American musician best known as the bassist of the Portland, Oregon indie rock band The Decemberists. He plays electric bass, upright bass, banjo and cello. He makes appearances on many albums by Portland ...
– double bass, bass guitar, cello, backing vocals (2000–2003, 2004–present) *
Jenny Conlee Jennifer Lynn Conlee-Drizos (born December 12, 1971) is an American musician, best known as the accordionist, pianist, organist, keyboardist, melodica player, and occasional backup singer and harmonica, harmonicist for the indie rock quintet The D ...
– keyboards, piano, organ, accordion, glockenspiel, backing vocals (2000–present) * John Moen – drums, backing vocals (2005–present) Current touring musicians * Lizzy Ellison – backing vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards, banjo (2022–present) *Victor Nash - trumpet, keyboards, harmonica (2024–present) Former members * Ezra Holbrook – drums, backing vocals (2000–2002) * Rachel Blumberg – drums, backing vocals (2002–2005) * Jesse Emerson – bass guitar, double bass (2003–2004) * Petra Haden – violin, backing vocals (2005–2006; touring 2004–2005) Former touring musicians * Sara Watkins – fiddle, rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2011) * Nora O'Connor Kean – backing vocals, acoustic guitar (2014–2020) * Kelly Hogan – backing vocals, percussion (2016–2020) Timeline


Discography

*'' Castaways and Cutouts'' (2002) *''
Her Majesty the Decemberists ''Her Majesty the Decemberists'' is the second full-length album by The Decemberists, released on September 9, 2003, by Kill Rock Stars. The song "Song for Myla Goldberg" was written years earlier, after Colin Meloy had been a media escort for ...
'' (2003) *'' Picaresque'' (2005) *'' The Crane Wife'' (2006) *'' The Hazards of Love'' (2009) *'' The King Is Dead'' (2011) *'' What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World'' (2015) *''
I'll Be Your Girl ''I'll Be Your Girl'' is the eighth studio album by the American indie rock band The Decemberists, released on March 16, 2018 on Capitol Records, Capitol and Rough Trade Records, Rough Trade. Produced by John Congleton, the band experimented wi ...
'' (2018) *'' As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again'' (2024)


References


External links

*
The Decemberists collection
at the
Internet Archive The Internet Archive is an American 501(c)(3) organization, non-profit organization founded in 1996 by Brewster Kahle that runs a digital library website, archive.org. It provides free access to collections of digitized media including web ...
's live music archive {{DEFAULTSORT:Decemberists, The 2000 establishments in Oregon Capitol Records artists Hush Records artists Indie rock musical groups from Oregon Indie pop groups from Oregon Alternative rock groups from Oregon Kill Rock Stars artists Musical groups established in 2000 Musical groups from Portland, Oregon American musical quintets Rough Trade Records artists Baroque pop groups American indie folk groups American folk rock groups