With the ability to create a sound that blends American folk with a hint of southern gothic inspiration, The Decemberists have garnered a fan base that is loyal to their eclectic style. Tonight, the band makes their second appearance on Austin City Limits with their enchanting and melodic folk tale ballads.
The Decemberists with Gillian Welch “Down by the Water” from Austin City Limits on Vimeo.
The band formed in 2000 when lead singer, Colon Meloy, moved to Portland, Oregon. After joining forces with friends Nate Query and Jenny Conlee, the three began The Decemberists, and after adding a couple other members, started to record music together. With releases like 2006’s The Crane Wife and 2008’s The Hazards of Love, critics praise lead singer Meloy for his incredible song-writing abilities. “It’s as though The Decemberists have been able to somehow summon that mystical muse that allows for all of the wonder of the musical world to open,” wrote Under The Radar.
With the release of their newest album, The King Is Dead, earlier this year, the band continues to impress both fans and music lovers with their unique sound. The album is hailed as “a 40-minute set that’s more succinctly rewarding than anything they’ve done in years (Entertainment Weekly).” The King is Dead speaks to the group’s creative genius as, “front man, Colin Meloy, and company demonstrate such a deep entrenchment in the nexus of folk that the five piece can now tackle any of its subgenres’ hybrids with confidence” (Austin Chronicle).
Watch Friday, October 28, 2011 at 3 & 9pm on KCPT2.