TOO much of The Decemberists can be too rich to stomach. Thankfully, this popular band has reined in a tendency towards the epic and “progressive” and produced a superb set of songs which score highly for both memorability and striking lyrics.
Philomena could even be a hit single with its memorable refrain: “All that I wanted in the word was to live to see a naked girl”. The Decemberists have an uncanny knack of making songs that have a timeless quality. Easy Come Easy Go could easily have come from John Fogerty’s pen. W
hereas Robbie Robertson would have been proud to put his name to the haunting Carolina Low, a wonderful folk ballad. Colin Meloy gets the plaudits, but his bandmates are also on good form, creating a warm, embracing sound.
• The Decemberists play Leeds O2 Academy on February 14
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