The Decemberists

I want to know what the hell is going on in Montana. I mean besides peyote smoking and militia forming. Because it takes a certain kind of person to concoct an EP consisting of one 18-minute song based loosely on a Celtic myth that tells the tale of the Cattle Raid of Cooley in which a witch queen tries to wrestle the Great White Bull from its rightful owner. Uh huh. Like I said, a certain kind of person. Somebody like Colin Meloy. Helena, Montana, native. Scholar. Songwriter. Singer for the Decemberists, the Portland, Oregon, band responsible for this year's The Tain EP and last year's indie masterpiece Her Majesty The Decemberists. A group that has won comparisons to Belle and Sebastian and Neutral Milk Hotel. A band that shares its name with a 19th-century group that tried to overthrow the czar. Bizarre? Only a smidge. Prolific? Sure. Ambitious? You best believe. Talented? Without a doubt. But if all this moody musical meandering strikes too close to home, we'll throw in the British quartet Clearlake, once at Mojo's in Columbia opening for the Decemberists and once headlining at the Jackpot Saloon in Lawrence. Because we're that nice.