The_King_Is_Dead_(album)

<i>The King Is Dead</i> (album)

The King Is Dead (album)

2011 studio album by The Decemberists


The King Is Dead is the sixth studio album by The Decemberists, released on Capitol Records on January 14, 2011.[1] Described as the "most pastoral, rustic record they've ever made" by Douglas Wolk of Rolling Stone,[4] the album reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart for the week ending February 5, 2011.[5] The song "This Is Why We Fight" reached number 19 on the U.S Alternative Songs Chart, while the song "Down by the Water" also charted in the United States. In November 2011, the band released an EP of album out-takes, entitled Long Live the King.

Quick Facts The King Is Dead, Studio album by The Decemberists ...

Prior to the album's release, frontman Colin Meloy stated: "If there's anything academic about this record, or me trying to force myself in a direction, it was realising that the last three records were really influenced by the British folk revival [...] this whole world that I was discovering, that I was poring over, learning inside-out. It was a wanting to get away from that. And looking back into more American traditions, reconnecting with more American music."[6]

Background

The King Is Dead was recorded during spring 2010,[7] with most of it being made in a six-week period in a barn at an 80-acre (320,000 m2) site called Pendarvis Farm, near Portland, Oregon.[4] It has been speculated that the album title is an homage to The Smiths' 1986 album The Queen Is Dead,[8] largely due to Colin Meloy's long-touted influence from the band.[9] It was co-produced by Tucker Martine.[4] At least three of the ten songs—"Down by the Water", "Rise to Me" and "June Hymn"—were performed live in 2010.[10] Meloy has said that a primary musical influence for much of The King Is Dead is R.E.M.,[11] and three songs, "Don't Carry It All", "Calamity Song" and "Down by the Water", feature the R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck.[12] The album was released on January 18, 2011.[13] The King Is Dead has been called the "most pastoral, rustic record they've ever made" by Douglas Wolk of Rolling Stone.[4] On January 26, 2011, it became their first No. 1 album on the U.S. album chart.[14]

On November 1, 2011, the outtakes EP Long Live the King was released, collecting six songs recorded during these sessions.

Release and reception

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The King Is Dead debuted atop the Billboard 200 and sold 94,000 copies in its first week, making it the band's most commercially successful album.[27]

The album received positive reviews from critics. It received a 77 out of 100 on Metacritic, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Uncut placed the album at number 26 on its list of "Top 50 albums of 2011",[28] while Rolling Stone ranked the album the 7th best of 2011.[29]

Track listing

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All tracks are written by Colin Meloy

Personnel

According to the liner notes of The King Is Dead.

The Decemberists

Additional musicians

  • Peter Buck mandolin on "Don't Carry It All", 12-string electric guitar on "Calamity Song", electric guitar and baritone guitar on "Down by the Water"
  • David Rawlings – backing vocals on "Don't Carry It All", "June Hymn" and "Dear Avery"
  • Gillian Welch – backing vocals on "Don't Carry It All", "Rise to Me", "Rox in the Box", "Down by the Water", "All Arise!", "June Hymn" and "Dear Avery"
  • Laura Veirs – backing vocals on "Dear Avery"
  • Annalisa Tornfelt violin on "Don't Carry It All", "Rox in the Box" and "All Arise!"
  • Tucker Martine – tambourine on "Calamity Song"

Production

Charts

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Certifications

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Release history

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References

  1. "The King Is Dead (Capitol Records, Vinyl LP Album) at Discogs". Discogs. 14 January 2011. Retrieved Feb 10, 2011.
  2. Barshad, Amos (November 3, 2010). "The Decemberists Let It Swag". New York magazine. Retrieved November 4, 2010.
  3. Wolk, Douglas (November 4, 2010). "Colin Meloy Reveals Details of New Decemberists Album". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 7, 2010. Retrieved November 4, 2010.
  4. Barton, Laura (January 6, 2011). "The Decemberists: The changing of the seasons". The Guardian. London.
  5. "The Decemberists | News 11.2.10". The Decemberists Official site. November 2, 2010. Archived from the original on November 8, 2010. Retrieved November 4, 2010.
  6. Wawzenek, Bryan (November 3, 2010). "Decemberists Announce New Album". Gibson. Archived from the original on June 22, 2011. Retrieved November 4, 2010.
  7. Luerssen, John D. (November 3, 2010). "The Decemberists Announce 'The King Is Dead' Album, Offer Free Song". Spinner. Archived from the original on January 12, 2012. Retrieved November 4, 2010.
  8. Puiu, Tibi (November 2, 2010). "New Decemberists album announced – The King is Dead". ZME Music. Retrieved November 4, 2010.
  9. Zeidses des Plantes, Erik (November 3, 2010). "Down by the water". Prefix magazine. Retrieved November 4, 2010.
  10. "Rihanna and Katy Perry's Duet & More". Spin Magazine. November 2, 2010. Retrieved November 4, 2010.
  11. "The Decemberists Announce New Album". Pitchfork Media. November 2, 2010. Retrieved November 4, 2010.
  12. Caulfield, Keith (January 26, 2011). "Folk-rock band Decemberists lead U.S. album chart". Reuters. Retrieved January 26, 2011.
  13. Monger, James Christopher. "The King Is Dead – The Decemberists". AllMusic. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  14. Murray, Noel (January 18, 2011). "The Decemberists: The King Is Dead". The A.V. Club. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  15. Chilton, Martin (January 18, 2011). "The Decemberists – The King Is Dead: CD Review". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  16. Vozick-Levinson, Simon (January 12, 2011). "The King Is Dead". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 20, 2011. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  17. Hann, Michael (January 13, 2011). "The Decemberists: The King Is Dead – review". The Guardian. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  18. Gill, Andy (January 14, 2011). "Album: The Decemberists, The King Is Dead (Rough Trade)". The Independent. Archived from the original on January 23, 2011. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  19. Doran, John (January 24, 2011). "Album Review: The Decemberists – The King Is Dead (Rough Trade)". NME. Archived from the original on January 29, 2011. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  20. Petrusich, Amanda (January 17, 2011). "The Decemberists: The King Is Dead". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  21. Hermes, Will (January 18, 2011). "The King Is Dead". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  22. Wood, Mikael (January 18, 2011). "The Decemberists, 'The King Is Dead' (Capitol)". Spin. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  23. "The Decemberists, 'The King Is Dead'". Rolling Stone. 7 December 2011.
  24. "Austriancharts.at – The Decemberists – The King Is Dead" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
  25. "Ultratop.be – The Decemberists – The King Is Dead" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
  26. "Dutchcharts.nl – The Decemberists – The King Is Dead" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
  27. "Irish-charts.com – Discography The Decemberists". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
  28. "Charts.nz – The Decemberists – The King Is Dead". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
  29. "Swisscharts.com – The Decemberists – The King Is Dead". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
  30. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2011". Billboard. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
  31. "Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2011". Billboard. Retrieved February 14, 2021.

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