The Decemberists

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This article is about the Portland, Oregon based band The Decemberists. See Decembrist Revolt for the failed revolt against Tsar Nicholas I of Russia in December 1825.

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The Decemberists are a five-piece indie pop band from Portland, Oregon, fronted by singer/songwriter Colin Meloy. They self-released their debut EP in 2001 and their most recent record is titled Picaresque.

1 Overview
2 History
3 Current members
4 Former members
5 Discography
6 References
7 See also
8 Εxternal links

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Overview

Named both in reference to the Russian Decembrist Revolt and the atmosphere associated with the month of December[1], the Decemberists write songs that range from upbeat pop to instrumentally lush ballads, and often employ instruments like the accordion and upright bass. In their lyrics, they eschew the angst and introspection common to modern rock, instead favoring a storytelling approach with lines like "My mother was a Chinese trapeze artist / In pre-war Paris / Smuggling bombs for the underground" (from "My Mother Was a Chinese Trapeze Artist", on 5 Songs) and "We are two mariners / Our ships' sole survivors / Inside this belly of a whale / Its ribs our ceiling beams / Its guts our carpeting / I guess we have some time to kill" ("The Mariner's Revenge Song", from Picaresque). Their songs convey tales ranging from whimsical ("Here I Dreamt I Was an Architect") to epic ("The Tain") to truly dark ("Odalisque"). They often invoke historical events and themes from around the world. Early in their career, The Decemberists' musical and lyrical aesthetics frequently prompted critics to compare them to Neutral Milk Hotel.

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History

In March 2005, the Decemberists were reportedly the first band to distribute a music video via BitTorrent [2] -- the self-produced 16 Military Wives (for the song of the same name from Picaresque). That same month, the band's equipment trailer was stolen; fans contributed to a replacement fund, and another fund-raiser was organized via eBay auction, bidding copies of Colin Meloy Sings Morrissey and original art work by Carson Ellis. They also received help from Lea Krueger, the Shins, the Dandy Warhols and other musicians. The Martin Guitar Company offered 6- and 12-string guitars on permanent loan. In early April, police discovered the trailer in Clackamas, Oregon missing $40,000 worth of instruments and equipment and a great deal of the band's merchandise. [3]

On their website, The Decemberists claim that their official drink is Orangina, and that bands they adore include Norfolk and Western, The Places, The Long Winters, Death Cab for Cutie, Tracker, Sleater-Kinney, Electrelane, Camera Obscura, Clearlake, Tom Heinl, The Thermals, The Swords Project, and Earlimart. Their official biography, keeping up their reputation for jocular grandiloquence, describes how the band's members met in a Turkish bath. It also may be interesting to note that a footnote following the biography claims, "The Decemberists travel exclusively by Dr. Herring's Brand® Dirigible Balloons."

On December 12, 2005, Meloy revealed to Pitchfork Media that they have signed to Capitol Records, and plan to begin recording their major label debut with producer Chris Walla in April of 2006. [4]

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