 | | The Decemberists |
Frontman Colin Meloy has achieved his aim of recording a concept album based on a Japanese folk tale of a poor man who marries a silk-weaver only to find she is magical crane he once nursed back to health. Their live show has elements of that taste for the surreal particularly the god-awful 'epic' song cycle The Island, which is unashamed – brace yourself – prog rock. Now it’s worth remembering that many Americans take umbrage when Brits slag off Queen, as they genuinely don't see Freddie and the boys as bloated tone-deaf blowhards so prog isn't the devil's work to them. Maybe it’s something in the water in Portland but The Island is on the Yes/ELP end of prog and that, for any music lover, is simply replicating a crime against humanity. So thanks to Colin and his talented band for getting this nightmare out of the way early doors. Thankfully, most of their set was wonderfully inventive Americana at its very best and the years on the road have drilled them into a formidable band, using a range of unusual instruments. Bizarrely, guitarist Chris Funk ended up playing a genuine hurdy gurdy during Billy Liar, which was novel to say the least. You couldn’t imagine Klaxons having the wit to try that out. Civil War ballad Yankee Bayonet had a chilling message wrapped up in sweet powerpop but then twisted lullaby Shankill Butchers brought the show to another grinding halt. It’s simply crass for Americans with no real context of the problems in Northern Ireland to write a lullaby based around the stomach churning atrocities of Loyalist murderers. Luckily, Meloy is a great entertainer, recovering his poise during a titanic version on anti-Iraq war anthem, 16 Military Wives, persuading the audience to create an imaginary corridor down the middle so the rival factions could sing the chorus at each other. Great fun. Ending with a wistful take on The Smiths classic Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want was a masterstroke and a full house certainly got what they wanted from an inventive band who have finally found a distinctive voice. All they need to do now is drop some of the less-successful experiments that got them to it. | 
