The Decemberists: Her Majesty the Decemberists [KILL ROCK STARS]

Why you'll love it

This Kill Rock Stars reissue puts Carson Ellis's original cover art on vinyl for the first time, with a 10 by 56 inch fold-out poster of the full painting and a download card.

This edition

• Original cover art
• Fold-out poster
• Download card included

About the album

Colin Meloy writes songs the way other people write short stories, with sailors, gymnasts, chimney sweeps and the occasional ghost wandering through. On the Portland band's second album he widened the cast and the sound, and the songs got bolder, funnier and more theatrical.

"Shanty for the Arethusa" sets sail on a sea-shanty sway, "Billy Liar" bounces along on Jenny Conlee's keys, and "Los Angeles, I'm Yours" is a sharp, dramatic love letter with a twist. "Song for Myla Goldberg" came from Meloy's stint as a media escort for the novelist on her Bee Season book tour, while "The Chimbley Sweep" and "Red Right Ankle" show off the band's knack for both racket and tenderness. Chris Funk adds pedal steel and dobro, and a string quartet sweetens it all.

Carson Ellis, Meloy's wife and the artist behind every Decemberists cover, painted the sleeve, and the poster is the full piece. It unfolds to 56 inches, which is wider than several of our shelves and at least one of our staff.

Also at Kops: more The Decemberists on vinyl · browse Alternative

Tracklist

Listen

On Kill Rock Stars (cat# KRS 375), a reissue of the 2003 album.