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Concert Mon Apr 21 2008
Colin Meloy @ Park West
After a string of missed opportunities and tragically plagued shows in Chicago in the last 6 months, Colin Meloy leaves the Decemberists as he embarks on his third solo tour, and first extended one, in support of his debut solo album, Colin Meloy Sings Live!
The album was recorded during his last solo tour in 2006 and includes a fair mix of hits from the Decemberists catalog as well as his own solo work. The album is generally a good listen, in part due to the fact that I never want Colin Meloy to stop singing, ever. The overall feeling, however, is like an understated Decemberists album. Obviously, the covers are greatly stripped down, but not in the quaint, approachable sense you like from an acoustic cover but instead slightly emphasizes the missing Decemberists. Red Right Ankle and other predominately Meloy songs, however, emerge with an almost rustic simplicity that make you appreciate them that much more. At one point in reference to the songs, Meloy asks the crowd to simply "imagine it's harder", a good overall point to how one should listen to the album. In addition to the Decemberists Unplugged cuts, the solo works of Colin Meloy very effectively make you really sad. If you'll come with me on an extended metaphor for a second, these acoustic works are written to soundtrack the part of the movie of your life when you're driving cross country away from your significant other before you realize it's all been a terrible mistake and you promptly turn around and fly back into their arms.
Included in the album are the fun quips and banter so characteristically Meloy. Throwing the few bits of humor into an otherwise emotional and anything but uplifting album, the chit chat in between the songs makes him seem like a real person beyond the brilliant and mysterious intellectual that Colin Meloy plays.
Colin Meloy will be playing Park West tonight with special guest Laura Gibson. Doors 6 PM/ Show @ 7:30. $20, All Ages.
