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

The Decemberists' latest release What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World strays further from the ambitious, overwrought concept album Hazards of Love (which I loved anyway) and deeper into the simpler, folkier sound that dominated their last release (The King is Dead). The album begins with the semi-autobiographical "The Singer Addresses His Audience" which humorously describes the relationship between the band and their fans. The album then progresses from the horn-driven “Cavalry Captain”, through 50s-sounding “Philomena”, the guitar rock of “Make You Better” and then into the coupling of “Lake Song” and “Till the Water’s All Long gone” which echo Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks.  They then settle into a set folky Americana that would fit nicely in a Pete Seeger song collection, or a Neil Young retrospective. Toned down are the archaic literary references (e.g. "picaresque" and "palanquin") replaced by simpler, more straight-forward songwriting. While songwriter Colin Meloy simplifies the literary bend of his lyrics, the themes are still quirky (and sometimes creepy). For instance, in the song "Philomena" he sings:

All I ever wanted in the world
Was just to live to see a naked girl
But I found I quickly bored,
I wanted more, I wanted more

So I'll be your candle and I'll be your statuette
And I'll be your lash and loop of leather
And dark Philomena, if only you'd let me go
Down, down down

Interesting imagery there. But, for the most part the lyrics are about loss and longing and considering the title and song "12/17/12" are a reference to Meloy's reaction to the Sandy Hook school shootings, this is appropriate. Like the title says, this album is about the duality of existence, pain and pleasure, beauty and terror, all coexisting in this world we live in.