The Acquisition of Miserable Music

( The Crane Wife )

( The Tragic Treasury )

It's odd that I should collect both these CDs on the same day. When I first heard The Decemberists, they reminded me a bit of the Gothic Archies with their whimsical lyrics and odd instrumentation, though of course the lead singers couldn't be more different – a former roommate once described Stephin Merritt's singing style as 'Leonard Cohen but with less energy,' while Colin Meloy is ... not. But still, complementary and contrasting. A musically gifted day.