Grade: B
“Long Live The King,” the 24-minute follow up to The Decemberists’s January release “The King Is Dead,” leaves a little something to be desired. While the songs are mellow and easy to listen to, they are easily forgotten. The band’s cover of the 1973 Grateful Dead song “Row Jimmy” doesn’t come close to the original tune. Excluded from the album’s monotony is “Sonnet,” which includes lively, big band instruments which beautifully play the melody, unaccompanied by vocals, for the second half of the song. “Burning Davy,” with its electric guitar riffs and morose lyrics, has a darker vibe than the rest of the EP. A few extra songs on the album would have made for a more focused sound and possibly more stand-out singles.
 
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Contact Haylie Navarre at [email protected]