THE TAIN

This eighteen-and-a-half minute EP from The Decemberists consists of one track in five parts, and is an off-color and loose interpretation of the Irish mythological tale Táin Bó Cúailnge. It begins and ends with the same riff, which is initially an acoustic guitar only, but as in the end, consists of several instruments, each taking a turn playing and playing it together. The music integrates indie-rock, polka-like cabaret, a cappella, lovely acoustic music, and all manner of styles. Certain parts are a less comfortable, but perhaps they are meant to be. Although it failed to grab my attention immediately (as almost every album from The Decemberists has succeeded in doing, it eventually won me over. For fans of the band, this EP is a no-brainer, and may very well find favor with those who argue that the band is not progressive rock at all. For this latter group, I would encourage them to give this a listen, as it may appeal to them, since it lacks the general accessibility the pervades much of The Decemberists' work.