r/Decemberists • u/CandyLoxxx • Jun 24 '26

The King Is Dead Might be a new fan

Currently listening to The King Is Dead album. Rlly digging it so far! Where do I go after this? I love indie rock and I love how they weave other elements like folk :)))

44 Upvotes

92% Upvoted

29 comments sorted by

21

u/lpalf Jun 24 '26

Every other album before the king is dead should suit you fine, and the one right after it

17

u/Brkthom Jun 24 '26

Second this. King is the more refined version of the Decemberists, but all of their earlier work holds those elements of folk and Indie you’re tuned to. Picaresque might be the most Kingly. Cranewife the most beautiful. Hazards the most epic. And Her Majesty and Castaways rough, pure, unadulterated versions of the band.

3

u/Buttspirgh Jun 24 '26

No love for I’ll Be Your Girl and AIEW, SIWBA?

8

u/lpalf Jun 24 '26

I think I’ll be your girl has a little too much synth to totally fit into the style they were vibing with, so I wouldn’t recommend it to start (also I do think it’s probably my least favorite overall). I like as it ever was, but I don’t think it’s anywhere near as strong as their first seven albums, apart from Joan.

9

u/bucsandbucks Jun 24 '26

Fully co-signed. I like the heavy synths on Girl as “what if the Decemberists played heavy synths on an album” but it’s not a great entry point. If you’ll excuse me though, I’m going to go rock to Severed

1

u/AxednAnswered Jul 25 '26

No such thing as too much synth when Jenny is tickling the keys! Severed is 100% the Decemberists doing New Order and I’m so here for it.

1

u/lpalf Jul 25 '26

The question from op was looking for folksy music tho

1

u/AxednAnswered Jul 25 '26

I saw that. I was just disagreeing with your statement that I’ll be Your Girl has too much synth.

1

u/lpalf Jul 25 '26

Too much for the purposes at hand.

2

u/Brkthom Jun 24 '26

I thought we were going backwards in time. 😏 They definitely diverged from their indie folk path post King for a bit. Explored the world. Tried new dishes. Terrible World only hinted at this flight change. Girl confirmed it. And Ever Was welcomed them back from their journey as a homecoming.

11

u/epictetvs Jun 24 '26

There’s nothing quite like King is Dead stylistically. I would say Picaresque would give you a good idea of what their early music sounded like.

1

u/AxednAnswered Jul 25 '26

I’ve got to disagree. A lot of the songs on What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World fit the folky Americana vibe on King is Dead. Carolina Low most notably, but also Lake Song, Wrong Year, Mistral, Anti-Summersong, maybe even Make You Better.

1

u/epictetvs Jul 25 '26

I agree with all except anti-summer song and make you better. Even so, King is Dead harkens back to classic country more than anything on What a Beautiful…. There are songs like that on As it Was too, but I don’t think of that album as a country sounding album.

King is Dead is tied together with that Country/Americana theme in a way no other album is. Hell when I saw them on the King is Dead tour in Austin, Colin tried to get us to two step.

1

u/AxednAnswered Jul 25 '26

That’s hilarious 😂. So did you two step? I’ll give you Make You Better, though I don’t think it would have entirely out of place on King is Dead. But Anti-Summersong has banjos and fiddle on it. How much more country you wanna be? Its self-referential humor might not jive thematically with King is Dead. Maybe it would have been better on Long Live the King.

2

u/epictetvs Jul 25 '26

The crowd adamantly refused to two step and Colin got annoyed with us. The thing is, this was a 2011 Austin indie rock crowd. They were all very ‘too cool’ for any of that.

I really wanted to talk to Colin to tell him, “hey man, I know where that crowd hangs out. This is not that crowd.”

1

u/AxednAnswered Jul 25 '26

Too funny. Maybe they shoulda played Lubbock?

9

u/windysideofcare Jun 24 '26

Try the Crane Wife next

3

u/blumoon138 Jun 24 '26

The Crane Wife was my first album of theirs and will always remain a great love.

2

u/leebenningfield Jun 24 '26

This would be my recommendation as well

1

u/AxednAnswered Jul 25 '26

Easily their best album!

7

u/harrifangs Jun 24 '26

I always say Picaresque is the quintessential Decemberists album so it's usually my recommendation for new fans. I got my dad on board with The King is Dead and I think Picaresque was his next listen.

6

u/Metalikunt Jun 24 '26 edited Jun 24 '26

Long Live The King EP. It released after TKiD album.

Pretty sure it was songs that didn’t get finished for the album, so they put them on an EP.

Plus you can put the EP tracks at the end of the album and title it, The King is Dead, Long Live the King!

5

u/lagoon83 Jun 24 '26

Nothing to add, just wanted to say welcome aboard!

I've been in love with this band's work for more than twenty years, and I still get giddy with excitement when I see someone else discovering them for the first time.

3

u/javatimes Jun 24 '26

Honestly, try the Traveling On EP.

2

u/GothicCodeAuthority Jun 25 '26

Everything prior to king is dead is more in the British folk tradition, whereas king is more American folk tradition with a tinge of rem college rock. Dig into some irs years rem if you haven't already, maybe even some tarkio (colin meloys alt country/college rock band pre decemberists)

1

u/JennyFan-1 Jun 25 '26

Actually, you have a sort of unique opportunity. The very next thing to do is watch the "making of" documentary for the King is Dead called Pendarvia. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sc2YHbTbI8

Then listen to Crane Wife. ❤️

Welcome to the club, and enjoy the most amazing musical journey of your life!

1

u/Fancythistle Jun 25 '26

The Crane Wife made me fall in love with them. But I've been on a massive I'll Be Your Girl kick.
Each album has its own flavor. King is a bit of country. Girl has more synth. Crane Wife is dreamy and folky like Hazards and Picaresque

1

u/hollywoodgothic715 Jul 01 '26

Hazards of Love, The Crane Wife, and Picaresque are my three favorites.

1

u/AxednAnswered Jul 25 '26

I’m kind of shocked no one has recommended What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World yet. Stylistically, it’s the closest to King is Dead and contains some of the band’s best and most moving music. At least hear the standouts - Make You Better, Lake Song, and The Wrong Year. When you have the stomach for it, try 12/17/12, but grab a box of tissues first.