Pitchfork: The Decemberists Touring In January; New EP, Book On The Way

The Decemberists Touring In January; New EP, Book On The Way
Despite fictional assertions otherwise, band doesn't actually do chimbleys

[Posted Wednesday, December 3rd, 2003 06:00:00 Pitchfork Central Time]

You might think that a band that can lay claim to having rhymed legionnaire with Frigidaire, penned a song (well, several actually, and good ones too) about the soldiering life, and brought the sea shanty back to much-needed prominence would have no stylistic or lyrical mountains left to climb, but The Decemberists would not agree with you. The proof? On an upcoming EP for Spanish label Acuarela, Colin Meloy and the gang are upping the ante and tackling Irish mythology via song (which really is the best way to approach that kind of thing). The EP is the latest in a series of original compositions for Acuarela, which has also featured releases from The Album Leaf and Damien Jurado, with another from Early Day Miners on the way.

"The EP is entitled The Tain," Meloy told Pitchfork by e-mail. "It's a short-form concept record roughly based on the Irish mythology cycle of the same name. The whole EP is essentially one song (in five parts)." Although the CD version will only be available as an import, the EP will be available here in the good old U.S.A. on twelve-inch vinyl, thanks to Hush Records and Jealous Butcher. This domestic release will, in fact, be twice as juicy as the current plan is to back up the U.S. incarnation with The Decemberists' debut EP, 5 Songs. Both versions are expected February 10th.

The Tain was recorded by the estimable Chris Walla at the Hall of Justice in Seattle, with Walla contributing vocals. In addition, The Tain features the debut of Decemberists drummer Rachel Blumberg's songwriting and lead vocal talents on part IV of the song cycle. Given the format, a tracklist is a bit irrelevant, but what the hell:

01 The Tain (Parts I, II, III, IV and V)

The Decemberists just finished up a slew of cross-country tour dates, but you lucky bastards on the West Coast are going to get another shot at catching them. Meloy let us know that they've booked the dates for a 10-day tour in January, and although we only have seven of the dates, we'll drop you the rest as soon as we get them:

01-15 San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill
01-16 Los Angeles, CA - Spaceland
01-18 Santa Cruz, CA - Porter College / UC Santa Cruz
01-19 Eugene, OR - WOW Hall
01-22 Seattle, WA - Crocodile Cafe
01-23 Portland, OR - Nocturnal
01-24 Tacoma, WA - University of Puget Sound

And in slightly more esoteric Decemberists news, Meloy is in the process of writing a book for Continuum Press' 33 1/3 series of short books focusing on classic albums, each chosen by the author for its special significance in their lives. Meloy will be tackling The Replacements' Let it Be, and according to the horse's mouth "Provided I finish the damn thing, it's slated for publishing in mid-2004."