There are no architects, trapeze artists, revenge-seeking mariners, barrow boys, evil butchers or drowned babies on The Decemberists’ seventh studio album. That’s not to say there’s no fun to be had within it. With sword drawn, the band’s figurehead Colin Meloy is instead heading into battle with a seldom-battled foe – himself.
He views his own band from an outsider’s perspective on The Singer Addresses His Audience, recalls early notions of love on Philomena and analyses his current state of affairs on lead single and album highlight Make You Better – and that’s all within the first half of the record. Perhaps there is more water in the proverbial well than one may have anticipated. There’ll inevitably be some listeners that will miss the quirk, whimsy and sense of adventure as found in the more fantastical moments of their earlier work.
Their reservations are not entirely unwarranted – the record feels somewhat bloated at just over an hour, and it tends to peter out towards the end rather than sprint over the finish line. With that said, there are rewards sprinkled through the track listing for those that have stuck with Meloy and co. through thick and thin.
BY DAVID JAMES YOUNG
