I've always enjoyed music that evokes feelings of lukewarm summer evenings. Cold wintry days always seem to bring me down to a level I quickly want to be removed from. Instead, I take pleasure in evenings where the sun seems to never want to hide itself behind the horizon. The kind of evening that just doesn't seem to come around too often in my neck of the woods. Coming from the Midwest, I've always had the ability to take long drives down the highways and countryside simply for the sake of my own enjoyment. The Decemberists are a band that incorporates images of all these feelings. If you've read any of my music reviews in the past, you know that although I'm not the biggest fan of country music, per se, I am a true believer in the steel guitar. I'll even take it in the format of a pedal steel if that's all I can get. The steel guitar has just always had the ability to express true heartfelt sorrow and beauty to me.

With their Five Songs EP, The Decemberists have showcased steel guitarist Chris Funk to send the majority of this morsel straight into the pearly gates of carefree rock heaven. "Oceanside" opens with perfectly strummed acoustic guitars that are married with Colin Meloy's unobtrusive, yet confident, vocals. If you give him some time, he'll even show you that lyrics are still important to music in a time of instrumental bands. "Shiny," the next song, is such a terrific song. To be honest, it's one of the nicest damn songs I've heard in months. The chords that have been used seem to say so many things by themselves, and the steel guitar is the true star. How could anyone feel bad when listening to a song such as this one? It seems to be the mold that all others have copied. The same could be said for the next song, "My Mother Was a Chinese Trapeze Artist." It has the same vibe as the previous track, and makes me wonder how these guys could know exactly what I like in my music. It's easy to see why they have received so much critical acclaim for their album Castaways and Cutouts.

The Decemberists will captivate you with their innocent and introverted sounds. Nothing here is forced, nor will it sound forced upon you. In a time when there is so much turmoil and hatred in the world, it's almost imperative that artists like this make music to remind us of a more simple time. This is also the type of music that tends to bridge the gap between today's music, and music the baby boomers enjoyed two decades ago. Although there are only six tracks here (go figure), I'd say this is a purchase that is worth every penny spent.

If it is, then it is still better than anything else out there.

The songs are all catchy, quirky and charming. I heard some comments about apology song. The comment mentioned, it is some song about some kids bike that got stolen while a friend was watching it for the summer. I think if you listen closely the end reveals that not only was the bike stolen, but so was his girlfriend. I liked the final reveal, but the song that stole my heart and rendered me listless into my mudhole of mediocrity was 'My mother the trapese artist.' This is possibly the decemberists finest song. 'my sister was found by a communist who had deserted his rank and followed his dream, to start up a punk rock band in South Carolina' the writing is that good through the entire song. These guys are just too good. They make me realize just how average I really am.

It seems characteristic of the Decemberists that they would release a CD with six songs and call it Five Songs. Perhaps this is what the apology song is for. Excellent CD overall. All pretty solid songs with a few really great ones to make this a five star album.

The CD opens with a lazily playful tribute to the narrator's love in one of the Decemberists' ubiquitous seaside settings. Somewhat bouncy syncopation adds to the relaxed undertone. Shiny is a bit faster, but is probably my least favorite song on the CD-- it sounds a bit hurried and musically incomplete. My Mother was a Chinese Trapeze Artist is an interesting story about someone whose birth and family seems a bit confused, ranging from the sister's husband wanting to start "a punk rock band in South Carolina" to the narrator being betted away "to a blind brigadier in a game / of high stakes canasta."

"Angel Won't You Call Me" is pretty upbeat, remeniscent of something perhaps classic rock-esque. "I Don't Mind" again deals with one of the Decemberists' poetically confusing stories, a rather relaxed and possibly soporific song... "Apology song" is a solid and cheerful song with the Decemberists' excellent combination of harmony, guitar, and organ about a guy who loses his friend's bike (bike?)...

The Decemberists remind me of R.E.M. with their melodious lyrics that Indie-Rock beats. I own all their 3 albums and honestly, I can't say I like one song better than the other. All of their songs have different flavors and tastes. The fact that I like about the Decemberists is that they write songs about something simple and give it deep meaning and almost all of their songs have a story to tell. For example, the song, "Apology Song" is a song where Colin Meloy (lead singer/ song writer) writes to his friend Steven apologizing for losing his bicycle.

If you have listened to their other 2 albums, you won't be disappointed with this one, trust me. If you have never heard the Decemberists before, I highly recommend them. I listen to them when I am driving and I am never in a bad mood when I'm listening to their songs. They are undoubtedly one of the most under-rated groups today. Listen to some of their songs and you'll find out what I am talking about.

This is a wonderful set of rather traditional folk rock ballads. There's no new ground broken here, just superb execution of a time-tested formula... if only more "alternative" bands would set aside their preciousness and posing and just get back to writing really good songs. The banquet here includes great singing, interesting lyrics, quite catchy melodies, good instrumentation (including organ, tambourine, slide guitar)... not too polished, though. The first track, "Oceanside," is among my top ten favorite songs. I haven't heard any of this group's other albums but look forward to discovering them.