The king is dead! No, really.

The albums of 2011. I was quite happy to hear the Decemberists not just releasing a new album but also playing live in Amsterdam this year. Double score. I picked up 'Picaresque' in 2005 when it came out by pure curiosity as it was displayed at the 'new arrivals' table at my favourite record store in Rotterdam, Sounds, which sadly no longer exists. I made many great music discoveries there, it's the place that made me a big fan of Kaizers Orchestra. It was a sound I didn't listen to much at the time, but I loved that album and took it home upon first listen in the shop. Fast forward, a few albums later, maybe it was time to finally go see them too? The first song from the album 'Down by the water' was tremendously promising. That's how I love my Decemberists! Impatient as I am, I listened into the album already, 'The king is death' which is out next week. Bummer is, apart from 'Down by the water', of what I heard so far of the album, it's all pretty much country. With me you can swing in various music directions (honest), hip hop is not one of them - and nor is country. Which in the end made me relieved I hadn't bought a ticket for their show yet. I might go after all, but if I have to judge on 'The king is dead' I probably won't.


Which is the first album I was looking forward to this year being a little bit of a disappointment. Shame. Here's good hoping for Kaizers Orchestra ('Violeta Violeta' out january 31) and The Boxer Rebellion ('The cold still' one week later).