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Alvvays

The Decemberists are in town tonight, making a triumphant third return to UB’s Center for the Arts. Guests will be treated to the Mainstage Theater’s wonderful acoustics (not to mention the comfortable chairs), but one of the biggest treats of the night will come from opening band, Alvvays. Alvvays excels at swimmy, reverb-laden tracks that have more in common with the beach than their snowy hometown of Toronto. Nevertheless, the group’s self-titled debut was highly praised, having made many best-of 2014 lists. Singer Molly Rankin is a true delight – her voice a combination of innocence (a la fellow v-ers CHVRCHES) and mature, glassy-eyed indifference. Death Cab for Cutie’s Ben Gibbard called lead single, “Archie, Marry Me,” his favorite song of the year (but the verdict is still out on whether Ben and Decemberists singer Colin Meloy are actually doppelgangers). Unfortunately for those of you who don’t have tickets, tonight’s performance[...]

The Decemberists – What A Beautiful World, What A Terrible World

“But we’re not so starry-eyed anymore,” Colin Meloy croons on “Make You Better,” the surprisingly radio-ready lead single off The Decemberists’ seventh studio album, What a Beautiful World, What A Terrible World. Indeed, while the group broke through with its heady, academic – and, yes, geeky – brand of historically-literate prog-folk, this latest record finds the Portland, Ore. quintet embracing a simpler, gentler format. It’s hardly a surprising artistic shift. After finding success in the mid-Aughts with rock-operas about an old Japanese folktale and a woman’s unlikely romance with a forest-dwelling shape-shifter (2006’s The Crane Wife and 2009’s The Hazards of Love, respectively), Meloy conscientiously stripped down the group’s progressive approach and high-minded concepts. The result was the howling, rustic Americana of 2011’s The King Is Dead. But where King was stark, driven by loud beats and hard-edged alt-country textures, Beautiful World is lush and serene, heavy on ballads and slightly[...]

Just Announced: The Decemberists

Hyper literate folk outfit, the Decemberists, will make a return appearance to the Center for the Arts’ Mainstage Theatre at the UB North Campus on Wednesday, April 1st. The band is prepping the release of its latest album, What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World, set to drop on January 20th. Check out the album’s strong first single, “Make You Better,” below. The show is a nice land for the CFA, a venue that had a nice run of indie-esque artists a few years back. Opening for the Decemerbists will be buzzing Toronto indie pop act, Alvvays. Tickets go on sale this Friday, November 21st, at 10am for $33-$38.