Album Review: The Decemberists - What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World

In The Decemberists, singer and chief songwriter Colin Meloy has a bit of double-edged sword with which to contend.

He’s managed to build a sound so distinct and so unique it’s easy for lazy naysayers to label it’s more of the same old, same old. The beauty of What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World is that while it remains within a very strict and recognisable set of Decemberists sounds, it still manages to find plenty of variation within those limits. Gentle acoustic guitars, even gentler vocals and a little violin to ensure things are really kept in check provide the perfect start to the first Decemberists studio album in four years. When things begin to soar, it’s clear Meloy and crew have no cobwebs to dust off after their hiatus. And all of that happens in the opening track, The Singer Addresses His Audience.

From stripped-back simplicity (Carolina Low) to lush and gorgeously grand (Make You Better) to perfect pop melodies (Cavalry Captain) to pure atmosphere (Till The Water’s All Long Gone) to refreshingly twee-free folk (Better Not Wake The Baby) to novel-like storytelling (Easy Come, Easy Go), it’s been a bit of a wait between Decemberists drinks, but What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World is more than worth it.

The only real downside is its release date. Hopefully it’s still top of the mind when “Best of 2015” lists are compiled ten or 11 months from now.