# ‘Just OK’ Album Releases of 2009: The Decemberists

- Link: https://indierockcafe.com/2009/03/just-ok-album-releases-of-2009-the-decemberists/
- Published: 2009-03-23T07:17:00-04:00
- Author: Max Hammer

This week you’ll see some reviews of much talked about recent releases by groups
like The Decemberists, Beirut and U2. I’m probably going to get some spitfire emails,
but just trying to keep it real (one person’s opinion). Let’s start off with a band
that was a favorite of mine for years.

Then, not so long ago, The Decemberists ‘crossed over’ and signed with a major label–
Capitol Records. That was a bit hard to take for a band that helped boost the popularity
of true indie labels. Anyways, my fear that their music would change has come true,
and not in the best way.

And so what is the freaking hype for? First off, I have been a huge Decemberists’
fan since first hearing The Crane Wife. After hearing that record, I immediately
bought everything they ever released – and I was hooked man. The upcoming release
of The Hazards of Love marks a new direction for the band that personally I am not
a fan of.

There are really only a handful of songs on Hazards that are keepers for me, among
them “The Rake Song” and “The Wanting Comes in Waves”. I am more inclined to go 
back and listen to their merchant sailing songs and bucolic ballads from bygone 
days.

The NPR music dudes from All Songs Considered recently “bet” after The Decemberists’
SXSW show last week in Austin that Hazards will be the best album of 2009.

What?! First of all guys, it’s only freaking March. Secondly, I’ve heard dozens 
of better albums so far this year from bands few have heard of. Sometimes NPR irks
me. For the last few years, NPR’s musical staff druels over a handful of bands and
commonly declare, prematurely notwithstanding, the contenders for ‘best albums of
the year’, and eagerly enough, the sure-fire, got-to-be, hands down winner – with
an entire freaking nine months in the year left.

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Please guys. Time for a reality check at NPR music. If you don’t believe me, dig
through the IRC archives for this year and check out some of the other albums on
the list to the right of this page; I promise there are better albums in that list
than The Hazards of Love.

Next up in “Just OK” New Releases: Beirut and U2

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