Album Info

What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World

By The Decemberists

Alternative - 2015

Where's an erstwhile indie band to go after scoring a No. 1 album? If you're The Decemberists, you keep a... more

Tracklist

1

The Singer Addresses His Audience

4:42 min
2

Cavalry Captain

3:17 min
3

Philomena

3:04 min
4

Make You Better

5:07 min
5

Lake Song

5:52 min
6

Till the Water’s All Long Gone

5:01 min
7

The Wrong Year

3:53 min
8

Carolina Low

3:24 min
9

Better Not Wake the Baby

1:44 min
10

Anti-Summersong

2:12 min
11

Easy Come, Easy Go

2:22 min
12

Mistral

3:54 min
13

12/17/12

3:03 min
14

A Beginning Song

5:22 min

About What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World

Where's an erstwhile indie band to go after scoring a No. 1 album? If you're The Decemberists, you keep a tight grip on your rarefied blend of idiosyncrasy and accessibility. Following up their commercial hit The King Is Dead, the Portland troupe continue to craft graceful, pop-kissed melodies with lambent folk-rock arrangements. On What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World, the band muse about everything from carnal cravings ("Philomena") to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting ("12/17/12"). Yet, The Decemberists' best subject proves to be themselves, whether they're feigning an apology to fans for their artistic evolution ("The Singer Addresses His Audience") or unfurling the bookish equivalent of Bob Seger's "Night Moves" (the luminous "Lake Song").