The Decemberists have been around for some time now, and after lapsing into a strange, riff-based alt-rock orchestra, it’s been nice to hear something fresh emerging as a side project. Black Prairie is raw, ballsy and awesome. The project essentially came to be as a brainchild born to Chris Funk and Nate Query—The Decemberists’ respective guitarist and bassist—while on tour with the Colin Meloy’s Portland powerhouse. Jenny Conlee’s skills as the Decemberists’ accordion and piano player were soon employed and the three began work on Black Prairie.
While intricate instrumentation is the project’s primary direction, excellent refrains and lyricism still pad out the tracks on Feast of the Hunters' Moon. It’s often hard to find complaints for good, wholesome Americana music, and Black Prairie has preserved this fact (at least for me). When a sinister feel strikes the music and makes my bones shiver—a feeling for which I have gained quite a fondness—I’m reminded of why I loved the Decemberists, and why I continue to love the crazy side projects that it has helped spawn.
Check out Black Prairie’s Feast of the Hunters' Moon.
Also check out The Norway Rats for more Jenny Conlee action.
I've been writing over at Natural Beardy lately, this post and others can be found there.
