Decemberists Take a New Approach to Song Crafting
Eric Daucher
Issue date: 10/18/05 Section: Arts
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In the world of modern music there are far too many artists who endeavor to write heart-wrenching songs, only to find that their best efforts can never produce something that rises above the undifferentiated mass of trite garbage we generously dub "pop" music. In a vain effort to create an original masterpiece these misguided souls plumb the depths of their own angst to create an autobiographical song that reflects just how hard it really is to be a rock star these days. There are two major flaws to this approach. First, every other guy out there with a guitar is doing exactly the same thing, and there are only so many ways to say, "breakups suck." Second, your average twenty-something with a guitar has never experienced a real relationship tragedy, so, barring an original approach to songwriting, the woe-is-me shtick isn't particularly moving.
Thankfully there are a few acts that have realized the limits of the modern mournful love song, and have found creative solutions to the problem. One such band is the Decemberists, and their solution is elegantly simple: forget autobiography. When Shakespeare wrote "Romeo and Juliet" he wasn't writing about his own experience or even that of anyone he knew; he was engaging in pure fantasy (as well as borrowing from pre-existing traditions) in order to create a true romantic tragedy. Colin Meloy, the frontman for the band, takes much the same approach with his songwriting. Instead of bubble-gum songs about cheating girlfriends, he spins dark tales of prostitution, murder, and truly star-crossed lovers. Throw into the mix the Decemberists' unusual choice of instrumentation which can include accordion, acoustic bass, violin, and various pipes in addition to the standard rock instruments and you end up with a sound that comes across as an odd blend 19th and 21st century musical sensibilities. If you haven't heard them before, there is almost no way to adequately describe their style; think indie-pop meets drunken pirates and you'll be on the right track.
Thankfully there are a few acts that have realized the limits of the modern mournful love song, and have found creative solutions to the problem. One such band is the Decemberists, and their solution is elegantly simple: forget autobiography. When Shakespeare wrote "Romeo and Juliet" he wasn't writing about his own experience or even that of anyone he knew; he was engaging in pure fantasy (as well as borrowing from pre-existing traditions) in order to create a true romantic tragedy. Colin Meloy, the frontman for the band, takes much the same approach with his songwriting. Instead of bubble-gum songs about cheating girlfriends, he spins dark tales of prostitution, murder, and truly star-crossed lovers. Throw into the mix the Decemberists' unusual choice of instrumentation which can include accordion, acoustic bass, violin, and various pipes in addition to the standard rock instruments and you end up with a sound that comes across as an odd blend 19th and 21st century musical sensibilities. If you haven't heard them before, there is almost no way to adequately describe their style; think indie-pop meets drunken pirates and you'll be on the right track.
