Perhaps no band’s lyrics better lend themselves to pseudo-academic analysis than those of The Decemberists. The Annotated Decemberists is an attempt to puzzle through the Portland, Oregon,…
The tune concludes with Stipe and Mike Mills harmonizing as they repeat, “Is this really what you want?”—preemptively raising the question on every R.E.M. fan’s mind. The only answer is a Bachrach-worthy horn arrangement that replies: “Yes. And it’s OK. It’s time to move on.”
The sixth and final entry from The Decemberists’ debut EP, Five Songs. Yes, you read that right. There are six songs on Five Songs.
The big hit of the evening was unquestionably “Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell” by Das Racist, as remixed by Oakland DJ Wallpaper. I had guests coming up to me all night asking me what that song was and where I’d found it. I guess they don’t read Pitchfork.