The Decemberists We All Raise Our Voices To The Sky – Live Songs (Rough Trade) *** (From York Press)
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The Decemberists We All Raise Our Voices To The Sky – Live Songs (Rough Trade) ***
11:43am Friday 27th April 2012 in CD reviews By Paul Rhodes
LIKE TIRAMISU, the Decemberists’ mix of progressive rock, folk and abandon is not for everyone, and too rich in large quantities.
On paper, this might sound like a throwback to the dark days of Yes, but somehow the group steer clear of hubris and have created some of the most compelling new music of the past five years.
Hazards Of Love is a contender for album of the Noughties. While band chief Colin Meloy takes time off to write a trilogy of children’s books, here is a stop-gap double live record.
Recorded at various US auditoriums it is a good value overview of their work – focusing more on their most recent songs and designed to recreate that live experience, complete with sing-alongs.
While well performed, inevitably much is lost in translation – most obviously the precision sequencing and recording that defines their studio work. Fans will lap it up, but newcomers should stick to one of their wonderful studio creations.
