Hazards of Love was on your 2009 year-end best of lists, right? Right? It’s pretty much a fact: the last Decemberists effort was crazily adored by just about everyone we know. That’s why today’s announcement makes us all giddy and squrimy like a newborn pup.
Colin Meloy’s gaggle of storytellers and musicians has announced a January 8, 2011 release date for the next album, The King Is Dead. Check out the woodsy cover art above. Is anyone else picking up a Robin Hood vibe?
The album, comprised of ten, country-tinged, stripped-down tunes, features special guest appearances by Gillian Welch on seven (yeah, count ’em, seven) tracks and R.E.M.’s Peter Buck on three.
The band will play “Down by the Water” on the newly launched Conan on November 18th, but you can buy the song two days earlier when it’s digitally released. The King Is Dead is available for pre-order on Decemberists.com on November 22nd.
Tracklisting:
1. Don’t Carry It All
2. Calamity Song
3. Rise to Me
4. Rox in the Box
5. January Hymn
6. Down by the Water
7. All Arise!
8. June Hymn
9. This is Why We Fight
10. Dear Avery