The Decemberists this week revealed that their seventh studio album entitled What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World will be in record stores on January 20. This is the follow-up to the 2011 album The King Is Dead for the pride and joy of Portland, Oregon. The new album’s title, which I will refer to as WATWWABW, was inspired by the Newtown, Connecticut school shootings in December 2012.
Read the press release here:
The first songs were highly personal, a change from the strong narrative thrust that has characterized much of The Decemberists’ work. “Having a family, having kids, having this career, getting older – all of these things have made me look more inward,” says Meloy.
These reflections come to the foreground in “12/17/12,” a song he wrote after watching President Obama address the nation following the Newtown school shootings. “I was hit by a sense of helplessness, but also the message of ’Hold your family close,’” recalls Meloy. This bewildering, conflicted feeling came out in a phrase near the end of the song – “what a terrible world, what a beautiful world”—that gave the album its title.
To accompany the announcement, the indie folk rockers shared the track “Make You Better’ (listen below), along with a string of European tour dates that begin on February 11 and conclude on March 1. I’m sure you can already see where I’m going with this. The Decemberists are a band that I’ve never seen play live after all these years, and I can’t think of anything better than a spot on line 2 at next April’s Coachella Music Festival. One day when I have more time, I will countdown my top bands that I’ve never seen live, spoiler alert – The Decemberists will be near the top. Add The Decemberists to my 2015 Coachella Perfect Poster Wish List.
What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World trackllist:
01 “The Singer Addresses His Audience”
02 “Cavalry Captain”
03 “Philomena”
04 “Make You Better”
05 “Lake Song”
06 “Till The Water Is All Long Gone”
07 “The Wrong Year”
08 “Carolina Low”
09 “Better Not Wake The Baby”
10 “Anti-Summersong”
11 “Easy Come, Easy Go”
12 “Mistral”
13 “12/17/12″
14 “A Beginning Song”
Get your day off to a good start and listen to “Make You Better” here:
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