Her Majesty The Decembrists

iTunes Review

En route from Missoula, Montana to Portland, Oregon, the Decemberists' lead singer/songwriter Colin Meloy also stopped by Scotland and another century in his mind on the way. With a voice that often reflects the heavily enunciated cadence of Brit-cult rocker Robyn Hitchcock, Meloy leads his instrumentally adventurous quintet through songs often based in times far away with characters who speak in quaint colloquialisms ("Oh adhere to me / for we are bound by symmetry"). Featuring accordions, string sections, and horns, the arrangements are elaborate and free-spirited throughout the band's second studio album, sharing more in common with Scottish Indie-rock faves Belle & Sebastian than any Northwest rock ensemble. But for all its literary ambition - Meloy has a degree in English, natch - the songs come together over raw emotions that are timeless. "The Gymnast, High Above the Ground" is gray as the Pacific Northwest weather. "I Was Meant for the Stage" could be Meloy's own sly theatrical vision bubbling over the surface. It's only a matter of time before he writes a musical.