Colin Meloy – Sings Live!
The concept here is an interesting and it works. Decemberists singer Colin Meloy releases a solo acoustic live album while playing the bands songs including some rare ones and throwing in a cover or two for good measures. You get songs like “Devil’s Elbow” (from Meloy’s former band) and “Bandit Queen” (from the Picaresqueties EP) and he even breaks into a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” at one point.
This is a hard album to dissect because it is a essentially just Decemberists songs done acoustically. The best part of the record is when Colin is talking about his song “Dracula’s Daughter” calling it the “worst song I have ever wrote.” The fact that he included it and how long he discusses it really mixes up the record quite a bit and adds a little fun to the record.
Hearing all these songs stripped down I think they just sound better with the full arrangements because they all start to lump together. Colin does have great audience interactions and is a really fun guy in between the songs. Going through the whole thing once was fun but I just do not see going back to it very frequently.
By John Siwicki
