Listen: The Decemberists Drop First Single in Six Years, Share North American Tour Dates

Photo Credit: Holly Andres

After a six-year gap in new music, The Decemberists have delivered a new single, “Burial Ground,” a jangling presentation of light guitar work, inflated horns, and sing-along qualities exuded by lead singer Colin Meloy, with featured help from guest vocalist and fellow Portland, Ore. resident, The Shins’ James Mercer. Paired with new music is a slate of North American tour dates. 

Providing background on their new number, Meloy dipped into the reasoning behind the presentation, “‘Burial Ground’ is in that time-honored pop song tradition, a paean to hanging out in graveyards.” The indie rock continued, adding context to the musical expression- “The melody hook came to me in a dream and I hummed it into my phone on waking. Most dream songs are bad; this was the exception.”

In addition to new music, The Decemberists have outlined a complimentary North American tour scheduled for April 30 at Ulster Performing Arts Center in Kingston, N.Y. The band will cover an expansive territory from the East to West Coasts on the road, including specialty stops at the Brooklyn Paramount Theatre on May 3, the Salt Shed in Chicago on May 21 and the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn., on May 24. 

The tour will culminate to a close just outside their hometown, at Troutdale, Ore.’s outdoor McMenamins Edgefield venue on August 3. The night before, they will take the stage at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver, B.C., serving as one of two Canadian stops on their North American tour. 

Since their formation some 20 years ago, The Decemberists have carved out a niche with their quality approach to songwriting, which elicits dreamy narratives steeped in rock stylings and Pacific Northwest indie spirit. Listen to “Burial Ground” below. 

For ticket information, visit www.decemberists.com, and sign up for pre-sale. 

Scroll down for a complete list of impending tour dates.

The Decemberists Tour Dates: 

April 30 – Ulster Performing Arts Center – Kingston, N.Y.

May 2 – Roadrunner – Boston

May 3 – Brooklyn Paramount Theatre – Brooklyn, N.Y. 

May 6 – Exhibition Place – Queen Elizabeth Theatre – Toronto

May 7 – Stage AE – Pittsburgh

May 8 – The Fillmore Philadelphia – Philadelphia

May 10 – The Anthem – Washington D.C.

May 11 – Durham Performing Arts Center – Durham, N.C.

May 12 – The Eastern – Atlanta

May 14 – Majestic Theater – Dallas

May 15 – Bass Concert Hall – Austin, Texas

May 17 – The Pageant – St Louis

May 18 – Riverside Theater – Milwaukee, Wis. 

May 19 – Palace Theatre –  St Paul, Minn.

May 21 – Salt Shed – Chicago

May 22 – Royal Oak Music Theater – Detroit 

May 24 – Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, Tenn. 

July 12 – Hayden Homes Amphitheater – Bend, Ore.^

July 13 – Fox Theater – Oakland, Calif. 

July 15 – The Bellwether –  Los Angeles

July 18 – Humphreys – San Diego, Calif. 

July 19 – Rialto Theater – Tucson, Ariz.

July 20 The Van Buren – Phoenix, Ariz. 

July 22 – The Bridge at Santa Fe Brewing – Santa Fe, N.M.

July 23 – The Mission Ballroom – Denver

July 24 – Sandy Amphitheater – Sandy, Utah

July 26 – Kettlehouse Amphitheater – Missoula, Mont. 

July 27 – Spokane Pavilion – Spokane, Wash. 

July 29 – Queen Elizabeth Theatre – Vancouver, B.C.

August 3 – McMenamins Edgefield – Troutdale, Ore.*