The Decemberists formed in 2000 when Colin Meloy moved from Montana to Portland, Oregon and met a variety of musicians that would slowly make up the band’s permanent lineup. The band made their recording début in 2002 with the release of Castaways and Cutouts and has since released five full-length albums and a handful of EPs. In 2009, the band released their wildly ambitious song cycle, Hazards of Love, a narrative suite that grew out of old English folk tunes, met by widespread acclaim. The Decemberists’ sixth studio album, The King is Dead, was released in January 2011 debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200 in the United States. The mostly acoustic arrangements on The King Is Dead showcase how The Decemberists sound just as glorious in simple, concise compositions as they do on the elaborate structures that have defined their work for years.