Pitchfork: Decemberists Reveal Exclusive Details of Nearly Completed Third Full-Length, Plan 24-Date Tour

Decemberists Reveal Exclusive Details of Nearly Completed Third Full-Length, Plan 24-Date Tour

Chris Rediske & Ryan Schreiber report:
Though Portland-based indie pop behemoths The Decemberists have only been in the studio for a few weeks, frontman Colin Meloy has revealed to Pitchfork that the group has nearly completed work on their third proper album, and that he believes that "this record may be the closest we have come to making the record we really have always wanted to make." Holed up with Death Cab for Cutie guitarist/engineer/producer Chris Walla, the band is "terrifically excited" about the results so far, though they still have another week of tracking and two weeks of mixing ahead of them.

The affair to date sounds to have been remarkably ambitious, even by The Decemberists' standards. For one, recording is taking place in an historic church, which Meloy says has "turned out to be more of an unconventional studio setting than perhaps we had been prepared for." For one, the place is still quite in use, with a Monessori school for the education of mentally disabled children setting up in the basement, and a Pagan men's group meeting in the chapel on Sunday evenings. For another, it seems to be a place of great treachery and peril: "Chris Walla accidentally stabbed himself with a mislaid medical sharp," Meloy mused. "False alarm: It was a needle for administering insulin to a seven year old girl. But I think it may well have kept us all on our toes."

Meloy also hints that the record may wind up much more cohesive than either of their previous releases, 2002's Castaways and Cutouts, and 2003's Her Majesty The Decemberists. "This one has a stronger through-line," he said. "We've maintained a lot of the theatricality and narrative that we started messing with on The Tain. There's a heightened presence of bombast as well-- we carted tympani and orchestra chimes from Eugene, "liberated" from the University of Oregon music department-- but the quieter moments are much... quieter. The instruments we've used on this record are too numerous and weird to list. It's been quite a production."

The album, currently sharing its working title, The Infanta, with the disc's opening track, is tentatively slated for release in March, with the final sessions to resume this week in Seattle. And the band seems especially particular about which tracks will and won't make the final cut. "We started with 18 songs, pared that down to 14, and I think 10 will likely make it to the record," Meloy stated. "The rest we'll have for B-sides, comps, and obscure German 12-inch vinyl picture discs." To which they are no strangers: In the near future, The Decemberists will contribute a cover of Robyn Hitchcock's "Lady Waters and the Hooded One" to a tribute album for the frequently unsung indie pop icon, as well as one of Fleetwood Mac's "Think About Me", with percussionist Rachel Blumberg on vocals, to a forthcoming compilation to be released by the Arena Rock Recording Co., which will feature Portland bands covering-- appropriately enough-- arena rock songs.

So, then, with all this on their plates, surely The Decemberists have already got plans all lined up to take place after they complete work on the album: "Tour or perish, as the saying goes, yes?" says Meloy. Well, "perish" is probably a bit extreme, but whatever keeps them motivated. The group has laid out a rigorous 24-date itinerary for an extensive tour of the U.S., with plans to hit up the UK in early October to support their forthcoming "Billy Liar" single-- which, as previously reported, hits on October 11th (or, October 12th in the States), and features two previously unreleased B-sides, "Sunshine" and "Everything I Try to Do, Nothing Seems to Turn Out Right".

Oh, and don't be surprised if you happen to hear the band performing a very familiar Pitchfork favorite at one of the dates: The Decemberists have been covering Joanna Newsom's "Bridges and Balloons", from her beautiful freak-folk debut, The Milk-Eyed Mender, while on the road: "I adore that song," Meloy admitted. "And while I don't know if I do it the justice it deserves, it's really a joy to play. We did record a rather champagne-induced version of the song late one night last week but I haven't heard it. I'm told it's at least at pitch, so that may find it's way on to the aforesaid German picture disc. Ha ha."

Joining the band on their U.S. leg-- which, after a handful of Pacific Northwest performances, officially kicks off on September 21st-- will be Norfolk & Western, a five-piece indie folk ensemble headed up by Portland's Adam Selzer and featuring The Decemberists' Rachel Blumberg. Dates:

09-04 Bend, OR - Les Schwab Amphitheater (w/The Pixies)
09-09 Seattle, WA - Neumos (w/Xiu Xiu, The Gossip, Deerhoof, The Punks)
09-10 Portland, OR - Roseland Theater (w/Xiu Xiu, The Gossip, Deerhoof)
09-11 Olympia, WA - Eagle's Hall (w/Deerhoof, Mecca Normal, Xiu Xiu)
09-21 Madison, WI - Luther's Blues *
09-22 Champaign, IL - High Dive *
09-23 Grand Rapids, MI - Calvin College *
09-24 Cleveland, OH - Beechland Ballroom *
09-25 Clinton, NY - Hamilton College *
09-26 Baltimore, MD - Recher Theater *
09-27 New York, NY - Webster Hall *
09-28 Northampton, MA - Pearl St. *
10-13 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom (CMJ) *
10-14 Burlington, VT - Club Metronome *
10-15 Portland, ME - Big Easy *
10-16 Hoboken, NJ - Maxwell's *
10-17 Columbus, OH - Little Brother's
10-18 Galesburg, IL - Knox College *
10-19 St Louis, MO - Blueberry Hills Duck Room *
10-20 Columbia, MO - Blue Note *
10-21 Lawrence, KS - Jackpot *
10-22 Norman, OK - Opolis *
10-23 Colorado Springs, CO - 32 Bleu *
10-24 Boulder, CO - Fox Theater *

* with Norfolk & Western