REVIEWS, ‘’

• SPIN Rating: of 10

• • Listen:

    Spotify

Label:

For hardcore fans of Portland, OR's the Decemberists, Colin Meloy Sings Live! may just be the stuff dreams are made of. The 14-song collection, out April 8 on Kill Rock Stars, documents the frontman's 2006 solo tour and features not only rarities and tunes dating back to Meloy's first band, Tarkio, but also acoustic renditions of Decemberists tunes, including the Irish-tinged folkie,"We Both Go Down Together," off 2005's Picaresque.

Here, Meloy's bare bones rendition thrusts his sea captain yodel to the forefront, delivering urgency to his storytelling knack. Simple, strumming chords set a solid base for the familiar, catchy chorus: "My love / My love / And and all my love," Meloy sings to a rapturous crowd.

DOWNLOAD MP3