HER MAJESTY

The Decemberists were a kind of fresh air bubble with their debut album "Castaways And Cutouts". They delivered great and melodic tracks (at least for half of the album).

As soon as you started to listen to this follow-up effort, the feeling is not the same. The opener "Shanty For The Arethusa" is a weird song of which I only like the upbeat parts (but then it is quite fine to be honest).

Several songs of this album are average to good at best. Too childish ("Billy Liar") or too uninspired ("Los Angeles, I'm Yours"), too minimalist and mellowish (The Gymnast) or simply lacking of the minimum passion I was expecting from this band ( I Was Meant For The Stage).

There are hardly any highlights. Just a bundle of soft rock songs with a certain folk feeling but passionless. It is rather a disappointment after the good moments that were offered on their debut album.

I understand that a band can't always be at its zenith, but this is quite an abrupt downhill. Even if the lyrics of "The Soldiering Life" are worth, these brass are quite invading (I admit that I usually don't like these).

This album is too much a collection of similar atmosphere and I just have disconnected after a few of these. To listen to this album from start to finish is not a rewarding experience. Some songs from the second part of this album being rather weak and dull ("Red Right Ankle", "The Chimbley Sweep" or the country and western oriented closing As I Rise).

"Her Majesty" is an album I can hardly recommend: you'd better stick to their good debut one. Hopefully, they will do better.

Two stars.