Some people in the known universe might not know this yet.  The Decemberists are my favorite band.  I think they’re brilliant.  I own all of their albums and EPs, I’ve seen them in concert two times (which doesn’t even seem comparable to the sheer amount of love I have for them), I have three shirts and a sweatshirt and I am a proud owner of “Wildwood” by the esteemed Colin Meloy, illustrations by Carson Ellis, a genius of the arts.

My shirts, posters, books of the Decemberists or by a member.

I follow Colin, Carson, Nate Query and Chris Funk (and, of course, the Decemberists band) on Twitter.  I know details about their lives that either make me a dedicated fan, or extremely creepy (or both).  What I’m saying is, I really like them.  A lot.

So imagine my incredible glee in hearing that a new EP is coming out on November 1 (3 days before my birthday…I think the cosmos planned it this way).  ”Long Live the King” promises to be a continuation of the delightfully folksy and sweet “The King is Dead.”  And they’re covering The Grateful Dead.  What more could you ask of a band?

The cover of the new Decemberists EP, "Long Live the King."

I won’t launch into how perfect the artwork is, particularly when compared with the original artwork from “The King Is Dead.”  Without a doubt, my favorite EP cover Carson has conjured (she is a magician of the arts).

If you haven’t listened to any Decemberists, I’m a little disappointed in you.  Maybe this kind of music “isn’t your thing,” but they are an eclectic group, with a wide variety of genres to choose from.  If you’re looking for a story, “Crane Wife” or the entirety of “Hazards of Love” shan’t lead you astray.  If you want something you can really jam to, “O Valencia!” could be that song.  If you want a melancholy song about winter, “January Hymn.”

If you want a song with the word “panoply” in it, THERE’S A SONG FOR THAT (“June Hymn”).  Also, don’t feel bad if you have to look up the meaning of that word.  I did.

The Decemberists: Good for a jam session AND a vocabulary lesson.

Really, just look them up on http://grooveshark.com/ and play a song that snags your attention.  There will be many titles that intrigue, I’m sure.

Oh, and there’s one more memento of my love for the Decemberists I almost forgot about.

My Decemberists tattoo inspired by the song "Red Right Ankle" and the cover of "Her Majesty the Decemberists".

And, as a final thought dearies, be on the lookout for your October Dance Card (ie, Concert Calendar).  It’s gonna be a crazy month.