Bespectacled Decemberists frontman Colin Meloy might not come off as particularly devious, but he shows off his dark side on the lead single from The Hazards Of Love, due next week. “The Rake’s Song” is the story of a man troubled by “three little pests” (i.e., children), the unpleasant hangover from an impetuous marriage. Three minutes and one foxglove poisoning later, it’s back to the swinging-singles life for the widower, who admits, “It never really bothers me.” Coming from the man who once wrote a tearful apology over a stolen bicycle, this cold-hearted confession is positively wicked. And much more fun than it should be.
“The Rake’s Song” (download):
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