There's been a severe lack of storytelling in indie songs lately, and thats what I really like about the Decemberists. Almost every song is a story. For the past few months I've been telling anyone who will listen the beauty of The Decemberists and their lyrics. Who else can sing songs using words like stevedores, civies, gunwales, petticoat and crooked french canadian. And a lot are hauntingly morbid. Just listen to the first two lines of Leslie Anne Levine and Bachelor and the Bride.

if i didn't already love everything else about the Decemberists it would be their pronounciation that'd get me. the way he sings words just really gets me.

They're definitely a unique and talented band. The pronunciation is charming, as are the lyrics.

Shiny is quite possibly the best song I've heard in the last six months. The Decemberists are really great. Lush musicscapes, haunted and jangly vocals, beautiful imagery, and truly imaginative tales, every song. Reminds me of NMH crossed with the Pogues, set on a tallship.

Here is a link to a Colin Meloy solo performance at the Lazy Lady Lounge in Portland, Oregon from April 22, 2002. Included in the set is a cover of the Morrissey classic, "Everyday Is Like Sunday."

http://phonophilia.com/times/22april02/

Just a thank you to Kevon (above) for the link to the "Colin Meloy solo performance at the Lazy Lady Lounge in Portland...". A truly wonderful piece of Moloy/Decemberists archive. Cheers!