The Decemberists - Always The Bridesmaid: A Singles Series

How best to describe The Decemberists? Well, they’re like a folky Death Cab. A geeky Arcade Fire, perhaps. Whoever you want to compare them to, the same words appear again and again: breakthrough albums ‘Picaresque’ and ‘The Crane Wife’ were described as ‘ambitious’, ‘glorious’ and ‘theatrical’. So how will ‘Always The Bridesmaid: A Singles Collection’- due to be released in three volumes both digitally and on vinyl - fare for this band adored by music critics and bespectacled nerds alike?

Seemingly a taster for the band’s much-anticipated fifth album, ‘Always The Bridesmaid’ begins with ‘Valerie Plame’. The track is a journey of sorts- clocking in at almost five minutes long, the first half is dominated by plodding rhythms and joyous bursts of horns. A sudden shift in tempo marks the evolution of the song, where a trumpet crescendo leads us to a coda that sounds, er, a little bit like ‘Hey Jude’. This Beatles-esque feature, whilst somewhat familiar, is what keeps ‘Valerie Plame’ from being slightly unremarkable.

As the collection continues, it’s difficult to find anything but praise for these delightfully crafted songs. ‘O New England’ makes a real feature of singer Colin Meloy’s performance - put him and Ben Gibbard in the same room and you might not be able to tell the difference, but that’s no bad thing. Meanwhile, the band’s rendition of The Velvet Underground’s gentle ‘I’m Sticking With You’ gives the track magnificent new meaning. Dragging out the final ‘Oooh-ah, I’m sticking with you’ chorus, complete with jangling piano and rolling drums, it’s a celebration of the sometimes forgotten classic. ‘Record Year’ is quiet and affecting with a gorgeous string-laden ending, while ‘Raincoat Song’ is a terrific example of Meloy’s storytelling abilities.

Within this collection of gems, it’s ‘Days Of Elaine’ that emerges as the diamond. For all their dramatics, The Decemberists are at their best when they’re light and poppy, and ‘Days Of Elaine’ is arguably their catchiest track yet. Every indiepopper’s wet dream, the song features swirling piano, sweet harmonies and heartfelt lyrics- and it’s over all too soon.

Although it’s nothing we haven’t come to expect from The Decemberists, ‘Always The Bridesmaid’ is a testament to the ‘ain’t broke don’t fix it’ mentality. Ambitious? Yes. Theatrical? Without a doubt. And glorious? It might just be the most divine thing we’ve heard all year.