The Story of The Decemberists

The Decemberists at NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

The Decemberists treat high-concept nerd-dom like their one true calling. Writing story-songs about forest queens and evil rakes, naming one of their albums (2005's Picaresque) after an obscure form of fiction, and generally making liberal use of their liberal arts educations, the group were one of the most unique bands to surface in the 2000s. It helped that they infused their songs with a warm, woodsy tunefulness, which made the narratives go down easier and earned them loyal listeners... RS

"Trying to create a narrative, you have to have a beginning, a middle, and an end," said Meloy, in a 2003 Pitchfork interview. "A song should follow the same pattern as a short story, or a novel, in microcosm. So having a good strong character and a good strong storyline is what can make a good song."

Decemberist MixTape EnJoY!!!!