THE DECEMBERISTS are master musicians and able crafters of simple melodies, refreshing in this age of severe over-production (memo to Rick Rubin and the latest Metallica record). Their look is indie to the point of being dorky — the front man with mutton chop sideburns, a chubby guy with thinning hair resembling Bill O’Reilly, and a chick on the accordian with a mousy brown perm. Who cares? With music this good, the visuals don’t matter. Like the White Stripes, their sound is completely original. Big plus — they don’t synth-out on the string section. Real instruments here: viola, stand-up bass, banjo.
“Do you think this is an Obama crowd?” I asked my sister October, who nodded emphatically yes. This was fact verified when the frontman said it was time to kick this administration to the curb and launched into a song called “Valerie Plame.” (She was the undercover CIA operative outed as retaliation by Scooter Libby and Satan, I mean, Dick Cheney). Loved the chorus: “hey hey hey Valerie Plame” to the tune of “Hey Jude.” A perfect night of live music was had by all at the Crystal Ballroom, Thanksgiving 2008.
