The Bellwether

For over 20 years, The Decemberists have been one of the most original, daring, and thrilling American rock bands. Founded in the year 2000, The Decemberists’ distinctive brand of hyper-literate folk-rock set them apart from the start with the release of their debut EP 5 Songs in 2001. Since then, the band has released nine full-length albums that are unbound by genre and highly ambitious, ranging from Americana-leaning storytelling epics to elements of 70’s prog and hard rock.

Now the enduring indie band is back with their first new music in six years, “Burial Ground.” Already a fan-favorite after being debuted live last year, their latest single takes the overt fatalism of 2018’s I’ll Be Your Girl and infuses it with the jangle-pop of The Dentists and dreamy harmonies of The Beach Boys (performed with an assist from The Shins’ James Mercer). “‘Burial Ground’ is in that time-honored popsong tradition, a paean to hanging out in graveyards,” says songwriter Colin Meloy. “The melody hook came to me in a dream and I hummed it into my phone on waking. Most dream-songs are bad; this was the exception.”

The Decemberists will be on tour this year, with more new music to come.