I suppose that in some way I have my friend Tyler Stanton to thank for exposing me to The Decemberists.  I believe that it was a group of his fellows that took Tyler out prior to his wedding day and told him that he had just moments to make an impulse purchase at Best Buy.  Tyler, a sucker for packaging and known for actually judging a book by its cover (literally), selected The Decemberists and could not have been happier with his serendipitous selection.
Before you begin a listening odyssey into the very depths of this band, you need to know something — it is not your average music.  In fact, I would say their albums are like soundtracks to grand stage productions that have never been produced.  There is usually a storyline that is threaded through their releases and the tale is told in various musical arrangements.  While you can get away with having them on in the background, I have found that their music is best enjoyed by an engaged listener.  As the listener, you have to listen, eat, chew, savour, swallow and digest the lyrics in order to appreciate the art form of The Decemberists.
Some of my favourite tracks include, “Raincoat Song,” “The Crane Wife 3,” “The Hazards of Love,” and my all-time Decemberists tune (and perfect for a stage production — close your eyes and you can see it), “The Mariner’s Revenge.”
Remember, this bit of ear candy is not your normal confectioner’s creation.  It has a rich and chewy center that is worth the wait after having rolled it around in your mouth for a time.