Ditching the prog-folk of their previous two albums, The Decemberists have taken a more cut-and-dried approach with The King Is Dead. Recorded in a barn outside of Portland, the album has strong ties to R.E.M. in sound and production — Peter Buck, guitarist for R.E.M., decided to climb on board for three songs.
"I grew up steeped in that music," Meloy tells World Cafe host David Dye. "I think it was coming through Hazards of Love and playing this music I wasn't steeped in as a kid but rather came to later on. I bounced back and kind of wanted to rediscover the music that I listened to as a kid."
Listen to Meloy and The Decemberists perform live on WXPN and chat with David Dye. (link)
HOUR ONE
Lovin' Spoonful "Younger Girl" Anthology
Neko Case "Hold On, Hold On" Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
Paul Simon "The Afterlife" So Beautiful or So What
Randy Newman "Harps and Angels" Harps and Angels
The Decemberists "Calamity Song "Recorded Live for the World Cafe
The Decemberists "Down By the Water" Recorded Live for the World Cafe
The Decmeberists "Rise to Me" Recorded Live for the World Cafe
The Decemberists "This Is Why We Fight" Recorded Live for the World Cafe
Spoon "Written in Reverse" Transference
Silversun Pickups "Well Thought Out Twinkle" Carnavas
Old 97's "Champaign Illinois" The Grand Theater Vol. 1
HOUR TWO
Luke Bloom "Delirious" Riverside
Mott the Hoople "All the Way From Memphis" Mott
The Smith Westerns "Dance Away" Dye It Blonde
The Smith Westerns "Weekend" Dye It Blonde
Candi Station "He Called Me Baby" Candi Staton
Elton John & Leon Russell "If It Wasn't For Bad" The Union
The Head and The Heart "Lost My Mind" The Head and The Heart
Bodeans "Fadeaway" Love & Hope & Sex & Dreams
Dan Mangan "Road Regrets" Nice, Nice, Very Nice
Delicate Steve "The Ballad of Speck and Pebble" Wondervisions
The Modern Lovers "Roadrunner" The Modern Lovers
The Dears "Omega Dog" Degeneration St.
Iron & Wine "Me and Lazarus" Kiss Each Other Clean
David Byrne & Brian Eno "Strange Overtones" Everything That Happens Will Happen Today
Dawn Penn "You Don't Love Me (No No No)" No No No
