Decemberists Channel R.E.M. On New Album

Meloy told Spin magazine that the rocker, "Calamity Song," came about because of repeatedly listening to R.E.M.'s second album, Reckoning. "I was listening so much to the reissue [of Reckoning] when it came out last year," he said. "And it opened up for me. I was like 'I want to write a Reckoning song'. The words may not bear that much resemblance [to Michael Stipe's writing] but I think the melody is very Stipe-ish."

Spin wrote that another tune, "Down by the Water" recalls Neil Young, both in title (one of Young's classics is "Down by the River") and the folk-rock, harmonica-added sound. Meloy said he hadn't picked up a harmonica in a long time, then name-checked an obscure roots rock act. - more on this story

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