Culled from recordings of The Decemberists’ lead singer’s 2006 solo US tour Colin Meloy Sings Live is an intimate, fun, stripped down affair as you would imagine. Coming across like a literary whiz with an ear for a tune Meloy is playful and off the cuff, throwing in snippets of songs from The Smiths, Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd and REM in amongst his own tales of Barrow Boys and Engine Drivers, Gymnasts and Architects. Meloy is more than capable of penning brilliant folk-pop songs and armed with only an acoustic guitar throughout he demonstrates just how much he has perfected his craft and how strong his songs are even without the fanfare of The Decemberists machine. ‘The Gymnast, High Above the Ground’ is arguably more engaging than the full band version with every word and wince crystal clear. Elsewhere ‘Red Right Ankle’ is striking and showcases Meloy’s love of a good story. Seemingly infatuated with British folk singer Shirley Collins – he released an entire EP in homage to her – here we are treated to Barbara Allen, which stands out for its simplicity with a lovely melody and uncluttered verbal prose it’s a sheer delight and welcome break from Meloy’s usual wordy acrobatics. As a fan of the Decemberists there is a lot to enjoy in this album, not least getting to hear some fine songs in an entirely new light, however as talented as Meloy is for first time listeners I would urge you to seek out the full band versions of these songs, as sometimes The Decemberists magic does go amiss particularly on ‘We Both Go Down Together’, which struggles from its lack of a full accompaniment. However Meloy’s bookish charm is endearing; and with the added bonus of some beautiful sleeve artwork care of regular Decemberists illustrator Carson Ellis this is definitely a worthy addition to any fan’s collection.
//Stuart McHugh