Digging the Decemberists

I resisted The Decemberists for awhile because of their seeming Brit-pop hipster-ness. While they may be the quintessential indie rock type hipsters flock to, they are, in fact, from Portland, Oregon. So I have to give them a chance. And they are, in fact, exceptionally good. So good, in fact, that I am sitting here listening to Castaways and Cutouts on repeat.



There's something mythical about their songs- strange, vague characters, somewhere old world and faraway. Their sound is a subtle mix of ethnic flavor (Irish, Eastern European, maybe?) with a strong folksy rock base. Colin Meloy's clear voice carries over the music smoothly, sometimes with unexpected vocal turns. They're enchanting and theatrical and still, somehow, completely uncomplicated. Those are my impressions. I dig it.