First and foremost The Decemberists are a top class and
polished band, packed with fine musicians and playing attractive songs to
adoring audiences. They have a wide ranging appeal and a charismatic frontman
capable of harnessing adulation. Commercial success has been forthcoming and
many who attended this sell out gig in Birmingham Institute’s premier hall
would have headed home with their fan status enhanced. The new album, which
broke the band’s longest barren recording spell of four years, is a decent buy
with many tunes that attract several repeat listens. Yet there was something
missing on a personal basis which will prevent this gig getting close to the
end of year top 20.
Much debate preceded the decision to attend this gig as it
was a definite nudge into the mainstream and far more to the crowded centre
than a majority of the eighty plus shows attended each year. However The
Decemberists cross my path on numerous occasions as an influential US band
flirting with a folk and Americana agenda and have certainly warranted this
level of advanced scrutiny. Perhaps it goes with the territory of operating
within the circles of major labels and well populated secured fan bases, but
there was a safe, conservative and predictable aura to the show. Ultimately
there was a bypass in radiated connection and an omission of lower case soul which
left the show a little short.
Maybe there was a little too much expectation for the band
to live up to my roots agenda and even sporadic appearances of double bass,
banjo and pedal steel had only a minimal effect. What was exceptional and most impressive
about the show was the contribution of Jenny Conlee with almost all the musical
highlights coming from her wonderful keyboard playing, accordion and brief excursion
on heavy percussion. In contrast, while band leader Colin Meloy did little
wrong, there was an almost continual chant-like feel to his vocals which resulted
in an ebbing away of any belief in him as a performer. Of course this was in
contradiction to the response from the audience which further questioned the
decision to attend, although satisfying a curiosity at first hand never renders
attending a gig worthless.
As you would expect from a show lasting two hours and
containing 19 songs, considerable focus was on the new album and pleasure was
derived from listening to songs such as ‘Cavalry
Captain’, ‘Philomena’ and ‘Carolina Low’ live. In fact right across
the evening there was not a moment where any track allowed you drift even if there
was a continual search for what could make this band special. What thoughts did
cross the mind was a similarity to several bands over the last few years making
it in a big way on both sides of the Atlantic with magnificent credentials but getting
a mixed reaction in effect.
There is no hesitation in recommending getting a hold of
WHAT A TERRIBLE WORLD, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL WORLD but in contrast to many
Decemberists devotees the band fell short on a personal level, probably guided
by too much emphasis on the centre ground. This view is probably founded by
seeing a cavalcade of roots artists plying their trade on a similar, but all too
often smaller, scale with the absolute ability to transmit their integrity and
belief to an audience. While possessing many laudable merits, The Decemberists came up a little
short against this measure.
