Tag: Decemberists

Decemberists – Burial Ground

They’ve undid the aerialTore down the merry-go-roundThis world’s all wrongSo let’s go where we belongPack up the stereo, meet at the burial ground

***I’m slipping this in today because my business trip was moved up a day so I won’t be posting until next Friday or Saturday. Have a great week next week!***

Jangle…CHECK… Harmonizing…CHECK…Overall power pop sound…CHECK. I love the sound of this band. Put them in 1965 and they would fit…place them on the alternative scene of the 1980s…and they would fit like a glove.

I usually don’t get super excited at newer music but this band I’ve liked everything I’ve heard. I always check out eclecticmusiclover (Jeff…it’s where I found this), christiansmusicmusings (Christian),  and albumreviews (Graham) sites for newer music. They do the work so I don’t have to… by tracking these bands/artists down and I appreciate it.

This is some wonderful power pop. It has a nice Byrds/Jayhawks/Big Star sound. I could listen to this music all day and night. The Decemberists formed in 2000. They have released a total of 9 different albums since 2002. They are classified as an indie band but have had a number 1 Billboard album on the charts with The King Is Dead in 2011.

I’ve started to listen to their back catalog and along with power pop they blend in a lot of Americana with that. This American band was formed by Colin Meloy after he moved to Portland from Montana. He initially joined forces with Nate Query (bass), Jenny Conlee (keyboards, accordion), Ezra Holbrook (drums), and Chris Funk (guitar). The lineup has changed through the years, but Colin Meloy remains the main singer/songwriter with them.

Burial Ground is on their new album As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again released on June 14, 2024. The song has already charted on the Billboard Alternative Chart at #2. This song features James Mercer…a singer/songwriter for The Shins on backup vocals.

Check this band out…if you like power pop/Americana you should like this.

Colin Meloy:  “‘Burial Ground’ is in that time-honored pop song tradition, a paean to hanging out in graveyard. 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.”

Burial Ground

Oh, Len, come downAnd meet at the burial groundThey’ve undid the aerialTore down the merry-go-roundThis world’s all wrongSo let’s go where we belongPack up the stereo, meet at the burial ground

Here among the fallen leavesAre we alone, the ones that dare to breathe?Throw your worries down, they’re oh so gravely heldYou have carried them so well

Ooh, woahOoh, woah

Oh, Len, come downAnd meet at the burial groundThey’ve undid the aerialTore down the merry-go-roundThis world’s all wrongSo let’s go where we belongPack up the stereo, meet at the burial ground

You laid down below a stoneSaying, “Wherever they have gone, I long to goSomewhere out beyond these maladies in my head.”At least, I think that’s what you said

Oh-whoa, oh-whoa

Oh, Len (oh, Len) come down (come down)And meet at the burial ground (meet at the burial ground)They’ve undid the aerialTore down the merry-go-roundThis world’s (this world’s) all wrong (all wrong)So let’s go where we belong (let’s go where we belong)Pack up the stereo, meet at the burial ground

Oh, Len (oh, Len) come down (come down)And meet at the burial ground (meet at the burial ground)They’ve undid the aerialTore down the merry-go-round (merry-go-round)(Tore down the merry-go-round)This world’s (this world’s) all wrong (all wrong)So let’s go where we belong (let’s go where we belong)Pack up the stereo, meet at the burial ground

It’s a contract malarial, meet at the burial ground