For over two decades, The Decemberists have carved a unique path in American rock, becoming synonymous with originality and daring musical exploration. Their hyperliterate folk-rock, a signature sound from their debut, has consistently defied genre boundaries across nine ambitious full-length albums. Now, after a six-year hiatus, this beloved indie band returns with “As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again,” their first new offering and a deliberate double LP. This album, their lengthiest to date, emerges as a beacon of empathy and accessibility, resonating deeply with the anxieties and fragile hopes of our current era. Across its thirteen tracks, the first twelve function as concise and impactful gems, each reflecting on universal themes of mortality, loneliness, longing, cynicism, expectation, and unease. The band’s masterful arrangements breathe life into these reflections, dynamically expanding and contracting with perfect precision.
John Moen’s drumming propels the jangly opener “Burial Ground,” injecting vitality into a song that contemplates the inevitable end. From the infectious energy of “Oh No!” to the disarming tenderness and complete surrender found in “All I Want Is You,” and the spectral romance woven with pedal steel in the ghostly “Long White Veil,” these initial twelve songs alone would constitute a remarkable Decemberists album. They are rich with both sorrow and affection, anxiety and unwavering honesty. However, the album culminates in “Joan in the Garden,” a track that signals the band’s most ambitious foray into progressive rock since “The Crane Wife.” Introduced by a haunting choir and stark electric guitar, this extended piece, despite its undercurrent of doubt mirroring the album’s overall questioning tone, ultimately celebrates music’s profound ability to convey complex emotions and ambiguities. It encapsulates an intricate narrative within an instantly captivating musical framework.
Songwriter Colin Meloy confidently asserts that “As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again” represents The Decemberists’ finest work to date, perhaps the ultimate realization of their 22-year artistic journey. This album truly feels like a fittingly titled renewal for the band. Marking their first full-length release on YABB Records, their own newly established label, after nearly two decades with Capitol, it signifies a return to their independent roots. The Decemberists, as they once were, emerge anew, an independent entity empowered to share stories that possess an immediate familiarity and convey hard-earned wisdom – music that speaks to the heart of “main street” experiences, relatable to a broad audience while retaining their distinctive artistic integrity.
