From the Salmon

Palanquins! Tamaracks! Roustabouts!

Do you have any idea what those words mean? To me, they can only mean one thing. The Decemberists are back with another set of anachronistic shanty pop.

On Picaresque, Colin and friends bring the usual ragtag cast of misadventurers and rogues to the table. But this time, they’ve upped the musical ante with broader arrangements and crisp production from Death Cab for Cutie’s Chris Walla.

A friend recently asked me which Decemberists album she should purchase first. Initially, I recommended the first Decemberists album I owned, 2003’s Her Majesty, The Decemberists. It was my introduction to Colin Melloy’s distinctive voice, his penchant for writing songs about Dickensian characters, and the band’s joyful melding of acoustic guitar, accordian, strings, organ and percussion.

But the longer I’ve thought about it, the more I’ve wondered if I was letting a sentimental attachment cloud my judgment. You never forget the first time, but just because it’s special doesn’t make it the best.

So I began to take inventory.

What’s the catchiest song The Decemberists have released? That would have to be Picaresque‘s “16 Military Wives,” which marks the band’s first foray into political commentary and sports a chorus so insipidly singable, it could only be about the American media.

What about the sweetest song they’ve recorded? My vote is for “Of Angels and Angles,” Picaresque’s tender ode to love and death. It may not be the most instantly noticeable song on the album, but it’s the one whose quiet beauty will sneak up on you later and bring anything you’re doing to a gaping standstill.

I began to reconsider the rest of the album, from the bombastic opening choruses and galloping percussion of “The Infanta” to “The Mariner’s Revenge Song,” a wickedly malevolent 9-minute sea shanty. And I started to realize that I couldn’t find a weak spot. In fact, I think I can now boldly say that Picaresque is The Decemberists’ finest work to date.

So if you haven’t bought a Decemberists album yet, forget all that nonsense I told you before. All their albums are great, but Picaresque is the place to start.

Picaresque was released in March on Kill Rock Stars. Kill Rock Stars offers a free mp3 download of ”Engine Driver.” Also check out the delightful music video for ”16 Military Wives.”