The Decemberists: The Practical Handbook to a Colbert duel
Kill Rock Stars has announced the coming DVD release of The Decemberists: A Practical Handbook on March 20, 2007. This DVD was planned before The Decemberists exited the label to sign with Capitol Records. Their former label explains, "It's called The Decemberists: A Practical Handbook and features a live show as well as a documentary on the band and various music videos!"
Speaking of music videos, The Decemberists recorded a video for O Vilencia in front of a green screen, and are holding a contest through MTVU to re-animate the background of the video. This sparked a humorous war between comedian Stephen Colbert and the band, since Colbert had previously swung a lightsaber in front of a screen with a similar challenge to his viewers on The Colbert Report. The comedian didn't hold back when he found out about The Decemberists' contest, asking animators to insert himself into The Decemberists' video. The band challenged Colbert to a guitar duel and announced on Friday:
Stephen Colbert, of “The Colbert Report,†has formally accepted our counter-counter challenge. Chris Funk, anointed our warrior-incarnate, will face off with Colbert in a blood-frenzy of guitar mayhem and pyrotechnics on the December 20 episode of “The Colbert Report.â€
NPR listeners have named The Decemberists' Crane Wife as the best album of 2006. NPR's All Things Considered revealed the best-of list, with music from each album. The ten albums include:
10 – Regina Spektor – Begin to Hope
9 – Tom Waits – Orphans
8 – Jenny Lewis – Rabbit Fur Coat
7 – Cat Power – The Greatest
6 – Joanna Newsom – Ys
5 – TV On The Radio – Return To Cookie Mountain
4 – M. Ward – Post War
3 – Bob Dylan – Modern Times
2 – Neko Case – Fox Confessor Brings The Flood
1 – The Decemberists – Crane Wife
It's good to find a radio audience with good taste in music. Listen to NPR's All Things Considered episode announcing the best-of list:
NPR: All Things Considered – Best Albums of 2006
The Decemberists – The Soldiering Life
The Decemberists – Shiny
The Decemberists – Here I Dreamt I Was An Architecture
The Decemberists – The Engine Driver
The Decemberists on:
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