News came out yesterday but didn't have a chance to post until today. I think the song is good but nothing groundbreaking. I'm still very much interested in hearing this record.

"Good but nothing groundbreaking" is pretty much how I'd describe my opinion of the Decemberists overall.

I’m not in love with the song but I’m still excited, they never disappoint.

@DinosaurJones Castaways and Cutouts didn't do anything for you?

Song's a reminder why I stopped with this band at Crane Wife (up until recently)

It will be interesting to see if there are electronics throughout the album. I have a hard time believing that there would be.

"Song's a reminder why I stopped with this band at Crane Wife (up until recently)"

My sentiments exactly, sans the "up until recently" part.

The only way I can even tell that this is a Decemberists song is Colin's vocals. Ummmmmm.

Y’all trippin, they have as much (if not more) good material post-Crane Wife (which is only their 5th best album) as pre, and The King Is Dead is their best album.

TKID is their most consistent album, surely. Anyone that dismisses that or the last one isn't really a Decemberists fan.

I still think The Crane Wife is their very best, but their last 2 albums are my next two favorites so...

If the King is Dead sounds anything like Hazards of Love, it's a solid 3.0

it literally sounds nothing like it

Yeah, King Is Dead is pretty much the opposite of Hazards of Love in almost every imaginable way.

It's also solid 5.0 imho

Picaresque or nothin'

Hazards is my fave followed by Castaways. All that aside, I kinda hate the echo on Colin's voice here. It's like he sang this in the bathroom and just spliced it on some random track.

Yeah I'm ngl this new track might be one of their weakest ever

I sort of like it...doesn't hold a candle to anything in their top 50 songs but it beats Down By The Water as a lead single.

I don't even remember what album it's from, but I remember consistently jamming out to "This Is Why We Fight" for awhile.

^The King is Dead

I'll embrace any direction they feel like taking but they better not forget that they are amazing musicians first and foremost.

Alright King is Dead de(ad)fenders, I'll check it right now

It's a pretty album with some half decent tracks and some great ones

Unexpected direction, solid song, but does anyone else think this kinda sounds like AJJ's Christmas Island? It's the same producer too.

@Sowing you don't like Down by the Water???? I love that song, how dare you.

Well this wasn't the direction I was expecting them to take, but I dig it.

They found a new gimmick and left the songwriting behind. Typical and unfortunate. That Hamilton track they released a few weeks back was exponentially better than this.

It's weird, but I like it. I don't know if I'd like a whole album in that style though.

definitely didn't expect those synths. song wasn't amazing but i welcome the new direction. these guys tend to experiment well.

"The song marks a rather stark departure from both their traditionally progressive leanings as well as their more recent Americana/folk undertones, thriving on a synth/dance beat."

Ehhhhh I'll give them the benefit of the doubt since they are usually pretty good at mixing up their sound and still being enjoyable, but goddamn if synth/dance isn't my least favourite style. The song's pretty basic and forgettable but then so was a lot on The King is Dead, and there were some bangers on that album.

i think this is pretty good albeit takes some getting used to, band can do no wrong in my eyes and their last album was amazingly underrated

also picaresque is their best album you damn fools

Agreed Sinternet, What a Beautiful World yada yada is their best since Crane Wife.

Edit: obvs agreeing that the last album is underrated. Haven't heard Picturesque so can't compare