Music: The Decemberists hit No. 1 with tidy, accessible 'King Is Dead'

The Decemberists have had an interesting few years. After several albums on indie label Kill Rock Stars, the Portland band signed to Capitol Records in 2005. They released "The Crane Wife," the best album of their career, a year later, followed in 2009 by "The Hazards of Love," a concept album about a shape-shifter who lives in the forest. Not exactly a typical indie-band career path.

Now the Decemberists are back with "The King Is Dead," which, with its three-minute pop songs and tidy arrangements, is the most accessible record the band has ever made, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart -- a first for the band.

While waiting for the band to tape a "Tonight Show" appearance, Decemberists drummer John Moen said that as fun as it was to play "Hazards" in its entirety on every night of that album's tour, it's refreshing to do more straightforward shows again.

"[With 'Hazards'], there were a lot more marks to hit right out of the gate. This feels a lot more relaxed. I'm doing a lot less counting," he said with a laugh.

"The King Is Dead" is, in many ways, lighter than its predecessor. The first track, "Don't Carry It All," establishes this theme with lilting violins, a sweetly hummable melody. And where the "Hazards of Love" album cover features a black tangle of tree limbs, the "King Is Dead" artwork features its title as a sunburst above a forest.

This newfound airiness is a perfect setting for R.E.M.'s Peter Buck, who provides mandolin and electric guitar on three tracks. Moen says working with the indie-rock legend and Portland mainstay felt pleasantly familiar.

"You realize he's just a great dude like a lot of other dudes," said Moen. "He's not spooky with his level of fame, and that kind of thing. He's really easy to be around, so it takes the edge off." Though, Moen admitted, "If I kind of reflect on it, it was mind-blowing."

Buck is a great fit for these songs, especially the lead single "Down by the Water," which sounds like Bruce Springsteen's "The River" mixed with "Document"-era R.E.M. The track also features country-folk artist Gillian Welch, a musician the band has always admired.

"When Colin was conceiving the record," Moen says, "he was really interested in having a female vocalist as a consistent part of the record. And we're all huge fans. That was fantastic."

As for where the ideas for these and other new Decemberists songs came from, Moen said Meloy is every bit the frontman he appears to be.

"I think by hanging around each other as much as we do and talking about music, we definitely rub off on each other," said Moen, "but it's definitely his baby, songwriting-wise." However, he said, the new song "This Is Why We Fight" features an informal outro that was an unusually collaborative effort.

"That was kind of everybody sitting around and adding a few cents, feeling it out. ... Our weird version of Fleetwood Mac, or whatever."

Or, like the rest of "The King Is Dead," a less weird version of the Decemberists.