The King Is Dead (album)
Encyclopedia
The King Is Dead is the sixth studio album by The Decemberists, released on Capitol Records
on January 14, 2011. Described as the "most pastoral, rustic record they've ever made," by Douglas Wolk of Rolling Stone
, the album reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200
chart for the week ending February 5, 2011. The song "This Is Why We Fight" has reached number 19 on the U.S Alternative Songs Chart, while the song "Down by the Water" has also charted in the United States. In November 2011, the band subsequently released an EP of album out-takes, entitled Long Live the King
.
Prior to the album's release, vocalist and guitarist Colin Meloy
stated that: "If there's anything academic about this record, or me trying to force myself in a direction, it was realising that the last three records were really influenced by the British folk revival
[...] this whole world that I was discovering, that I was poring over, learning inside-out. It was a wanting to get away from that. And looking back into more American traditions, reconnecting with more American music."
. The album title has been speculated to pay homage to The Smiths
1986 album The Queen Is Dead
, largely due to Colin Meloy
's long-touted influence from the band. It was co-produced by Tucker Martine
. At least three of the ten songs—"Down by the Water", "Rise to Me", and "June Hymn"—were performed live in 2010. Meloy has cited that a primary musical influence for much of The King Is Dead is R.E.M.
, and three songs, "Don't Carry It All", "Calamity Song", and "Down By the Water" feature R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck
. The album was released on January 18, 2011. The King Is Dead has been called the "most pastoral, rustic record they've ever made" by Douglas Wolk of Rolling Stone
. On January 26, 2011, it became their first No. 1 album on the U.S. album chart.
On November 1, 2011, the outtakes EP Long Live the King
was released, collecting six songs recorded during these sessions.
and singer-songwriter Gillian Welch
, who contribute 12-string guitar and vocal harmonies, respectively. It also features accordion riffs and heavy harmonica reminiscent of Neil Young
; particularly the song "Heart of Gold". "Down by the Water" has been compared to the music of Bruce Springsteen
. It was featured for free download on November 2, 2010 on their official website. Meloy has said that The King Is Dead is more straightforward and heavily influenced by R.E.M., and "Down by the Water" is a prime example. Meloy himself has said that the song "started out as more of a paean
to R.E.M. than I think any of us really wanted it to be".
Lyrically, "Down by the Water" is vaguely mournful. It has been described as "folksy", "uptempo", and "country-esque", and the chorus as "booming". Though "Down by the Water" has been called "catchy" and radio-friendly, it is also said to lack the lyrical complexity found on earlier Decemberists' work.
Additional musicians
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
on January 14, 2011. Described as the "most pastoral, rustic record they've ever made," by Douglas Wolk of Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
, the album reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart for the week ending February 5, 2011. The song "This Is Why We Fight" has reached number 19 on the U.S Alternative Songs Chart, while the song "Down by the Water" has also charted in the United States. In November 2011, the band subsequently released an EP of album out-takes, entitled Long Live the King
Long Live the King (EP)
Long Live the King is an EP by American alternative rock band The Decemberists, released on November 1, 2011 on Capitol. The release is composed of out-takes from their sixth studio album, The King Is Dead. Coupled with the aforementioned studio album, the titles of both combine to create the...
.
Prior to the album's release, vocalist and guitarist Colin Meloy
Colin Meloy
Colin Patrick Henry Meloy is the lead singer and songwriter for the Portland, Oregon, folk-rock band The Decemberists. In addition to vocals, he performs with an acoustic guitar, 12-string acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bouzouki, harmonica, percussion and interpretive hand gestures.-Early life...
stated that: "If there's anything academic about this record, or me trying to force myself in a direction, it was realising that the last three records were really influenced by the British folk revival
British folk revival
The British folk revival incorporates a number of movements for the collection, preservation and performance of traditional music in the United Kingdom and related territories and countries, which had origins as early as the 18th century...
[...] this whole world that I was discovering, that I was poring over, learning inside-out. It was a wanting to get away from that. And looking back into more American traditions, reconnecting with more American music."
Background
The King Is Dead was recorded during the spring of 2010, with most of it being made in a six week period in a barn at an 80 acres (323,748.8 m²) site called Pendarvis Farm, which is near Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. The album title has been speculated to pay homage to The Smiths
The Smiths
The Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce...
1986 album The Queen Is Dead
The Queen Is Dead
The Queen Is Dead is the third studio album by the English alternative rock band The Smiths. It was released on 16 June 1986 in the United Kingdom by Rough Trade Records and released in the United States on 23 June 1986 through Sire Records. The album reached #2 on the UK Albums Chart, maintaining...
, largely due to Colin Meloy
Colin Meloy
Colin Patrick Henry Meloy is the lead singer and songwriter for the Portland, Oregon, folk-rock band The Decemberists. In addition to vocals, he performs with an acoustic guitar, 12-string acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bouzouki, harmonica, percussion and interpretive hand gestures.-Early life...
's long-touted influence from the band. It was co-produced by Tucker Martine
Tucker Martine
Tucker Martine is an American, Grammy nominated record producer, musician and composer who has worked with artists such as My Morning Jacket, Mudhoney, Bill Frisell, The Decemberists, Sufjan Stevens, R.E.M., Laura Veirs, Spoon, and Tift Merritt...
. At least three of the ten songs—"Down by the Water", "Rise to Me", and "June Hymn"—were performed live in 2010. Meloy has cited that a primary musical influence for much of The King Is Dead is R.E.M.
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
, and three songs, "Don't Carry It All", "Calamity Song", and "Down By the Water" feature R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck
Peter Buck
Peter Lawrence Buck , is an American rock guitarist who is best known for playing in and co-founding alternative rock band R.E.M....
. The album was released on January 18, 2011. The King Is Dead has been called the "most pastoral, rustic record they've ever made" by Douglas Wolk of Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
. On January 26, 2011, it became their first No. 1 album on the U.S. album chart.
On November 1, 2011, the outtakes EP Long Live the King
Long Live the King (EP)
Long Live the King is an EP by American alternative rock band The Decemberists, released on November 1, 2011 on Capitol. The release is composed of out-takes from their sixth studio album, The King Is Dead. Coupled with the aforementioned studio album, the titles of both combine to create the...
was released, collecting six songs recorded during these sessions.
"Down by the Water"
The first single, "Down by the Water," includes Peter BuckPeter Buck
Peter Lawrence Buck , is an American rock guitarist who is best known for playing in and co-founding alternative rock band R.E.M....
and singer-songwriter Gillian Welch
Gillian Welch
Gillian Welch is an American singer-songwriter. She performs with her musical partner, guitarist David Rawlings. Their sparse and dark musical style, which combines elements of Appalachian music, Bluegrass, and Americana, is described by The New Yorker as "at once innovative and obliquely...
, who contribute 12-string guitar and vocal harmonies, respectively. It also features accordion riffs and heavy harmonica reminiscent of Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
; particularly the song "Heart of Gold". "Down by the Water" has been compared to the music of Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
. It was featured for free download on November 2, 2010 on their official website. Meloy has said that The King Is Dead is more straightforward and heavily influenced by R.E.M., and "Down by the Water" is a prime example. Meloy himself has said that the song "started out as more of a paean
Paean
A paean is a song or lyric poem expressing triumph or thanksgiving. In classical antiquity, it is usually performed by a chorus, but some examples seem intended for an individual voice...
to R.E.M. than I think any of us really wanted it to be".
Lyrically, "Down by the Water" is vaguely mournful. It has been described as "folksy", "uptempo", and "country-esque", and the chorus as "booming". Though "Down by the Water" has been called "catchy" and radio-friendly, it is also said to lack the lyrical complexity found on earlier Decemberists' work.
Track listing
Personnel
The Decemberists- Jenny ConleeJenny ConleeJenny Conlee is the accordionist, pianist, organist, keyboardist, melodica player, and occasional backup singer and harmonicist for the indie rock quintet The Decemberists, roles she has filled on each of the band's releases.-Portland music:...
– pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, organOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
, accordionAccordionThe accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
, and Wurlitzer electric pianoWurlitzer electric pianoWurlitzer 200A|250px|thumbThe Wurlitzer electric piano was one of a series of electromechanical stringless pianos manufactured and marketed by the Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, Corinth, Mississippi, U.S. and Tonawanda, New York... - Chris FunkChris FunkChristopher Lyman Funk is a multi-instrumentalist and member of the Portland, Oregon, indie rock band The Decemberists. He is originally from Valparaiso, Indiana where he worked at Front Porch Music which inspired his love of American Folk Music. He plays guitar, pedal steel, piano, violin,...
– pedal steel, electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, banjoBanjoIn the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, and bouzoukiBouzoukiThe bouzouki , is a musical instrument with Greek origin in the lute family. A mainstay of modern Greek music, the front of the body is flat and is usually heavily inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The instrument is played with a plectrum and has a sharp metallic sound, reminiscent of a mandolin but... - Colin MeloyColin MeloyColin Patrick Henry Meloy is the lead singer and songwriter for the Portland, Oregon, folk-rock band The Decemberists. In addition to vocals, he performs with an acoustic guitar, 12-string acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bouzouki, harmonica, percussion and interpretive hand gestures.-Early life...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
, 12-string guitar, baritone guitarBaritone guitarThe baritone guitar is a variation on the standard guitar, with a longer scale length that allows it to be tuned to a lower range. It first appeared in the classical music realm...
, tenor guitarTenor guitar1932 Martin 0-18 T Sunburst Tenor Guitar|thumb|rightThe tenor guitar or four-string guitar is a slightly smaller, four-string relative of the steel-string acoustic guitar or electric guitar. The instrument was developed so that players of the four-string tenor banjo could double on the guitar...
, harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
, pump organ, and percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration... - John MoenJohn MoenJohn Moen is a musician and member of The Decemberists, Boston Spaceships, and Perhapst. He sings, plays the drums, five banjos, the melodica, occasionally the keyboard, and dances around with a floor tom...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussion, and backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists... - Nate QueryNate QueryNate Query plays electric bass, upright bass, and cello in the rock band The Decemberists. He is also credited on Michael Zapruder's record. Former bands include Calobo and Everyday Dirt. His most recent project is the acoustic band Black Prairie with a number of other Portland...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
and celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
Additional musicians
- Peter BuckPeter BuckPeter Lawrence Buck , is an American rock guitarist who is best known for playing in and co-founding alternative rock band R.E.M....
– mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
on "Don't Carry It All", 12-string electric guitar on "Calamity Song", electric guitar and baritone guitar on "Down by the Water" - Tucker MartineTucker MartineTucker Martine is an American, Grammy nominated record producer, musician and composer who has worked with artists such as My Morning Jacket, Mudhoney, Bill Frisell, The Decemberists, Sufjan Stevens, R.E.M., Laura Veirs, Spoon, and Tift Merritt...
– tambourineTambourineThe tambourine or marine is a musical instrument of the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called "zils". Classically the term tambourine denotes an instrument with a drumhead, though some variants may not have a head at all....
on "Calamity Song" - David RawlingsDavid RawlingsDavid Todd Rawlings is a professional guitarist and singer. He is best known as the longtime musical partner of bluegrass singer-songwriter Gillian Welch.David attended the Berklee College of Music and studied with guitar professor Lauren Passarelli....
– backing vocals on "Don't Carry It All", "June Hymn", and "Dear Avery" - Annalisa Tornfelt – violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
on "Don't Carry It All", "Rox in the Box", "All Arise!" - Laura VeirsLaura VeirsLaura Pauline Veirs is an American singer-songwriter.Veirs was raised in Colorado, studied geology and Mandarin Chinese at Carleton College, worked as a translator for a geological expedition in China, and now lives in Portland, Oregon.While growing up, she heard folk-country, classical, and pop...
– backing vocals on "Dear Avery" - Gillian WelchGillian WelchGillian Welch is an American singer-songwriter. She performs with her musical partner, guitarist David Rawlings. Their sparse and dark musical style, which combines elements of Appalachian music, Bluegrass, and Americana, is described by The New Yorker as "at once innovative and obliquely...
– backing vocals on "Don't Carry It All", "Rise to Me", "Rox in the Box", "Down by the Water", "All Arise!", "June Hymn", and "Dear Avery"
Release history
| Country | Date | Label | Format | Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Capitol Records Capitol Records Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine... |
Vinyl LP Gramophone record A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove... |
42727 | |
| United Kingdom | Rough Trade Records Rough Trade Records Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove... , Capitol Records |
Compact Disc Compact Disc The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,... |
RTRADCDX656 | |
| United States | Capitol Records | 50999 9 47547 2 8 |