‘Picaresque’ is about big words, fun & pirates
Artists: DecemberistsAlbum: “Picaresque”
If you take issue with pirates and star-crossed lovers forced to suicide, the new Decemberists’ album may not be for you.
But for the rest of you, “Picaresque” is a stellar offering from a great, albeit quirky, band. Death, love and drowning are recurring themes and, while not the typical stuff of pop songs, it all sounds strangely appropriate when wedded to the Decemberists’ British folk-pop sound.
The finished product, replete with grandiose theater stylings, sounds a little like an off-Broadway soundtrack. To add to the effect, the liner notes are written as a playbill and are replete with photos of the band reenacting the songs.
The most ambitious moment of the album is undoubtedly “The Mariner’s Revenge Song,” an eight- minute narrative about, well, a mariner’s revenge. Full of sea-faring accordion and graced by a mousy refrain offered up by drummer Rachel Blumberg, it illustrates just how convincingly the band can deliver over-the-top amateur theatrics.
The rest of album puts Schoolhouse Rock to shame. While bouncing between funny, sad, touching and bombastic, the band is always literate. From the opening line, “Here she comes in her palanquin, on the back of an elephant,” to its closer, “There are angels in your angles,” both a dictionary and mind prepared for metaphor come highly recommended.
And while this isn’t a band you’d want to play Scrabble with, songwriter Colin Meloy’s mastery of antiquated English does lends “Picaresque” an exotic air. His faint British accent by way of Missoula, Mont., doesn’t hurt either.
But the real majesty of this album is its accessibility. Whether you’re naturally predisposed to pirating or not, this album is fun. Producer Chris Walla, better known for his work with Death Cab for Cutie, hones the band’s vision and ensures that “Picaresque” never falls into the “more twee than thee” mode that contemporaries like Belle and Sebastian often suffer from. The result? Whether you’re gearing down for a night of study or are looking to roam the Seven
Seas, this album is a must-have.
Zach Pendleton is a junior majoring in English and reviews music for the Utah Statesman. Comments may be sent to zpendleton@cc.usu.edu