Blog: The Sly Oyster

I like what I'm hearing from a first listen.  The band has really reigned it in on this one, for the better.  It's almost like the band took a collective deep breath. On  The King Is Dead , Meloy prepares listeners for change in his opening line: "Here we come to a turning of the season." It not only signals different lyrical themes, but also provides an introduction to a new musical lightness for The Decemberists. The new record opts to tame the band's indulgences, and also reroutes its musical focus: Instead of pointing [...]