The Decemberists are just one of the many big name indie rock ponies trotted out for the stellar Dark Was The Night benefit compilation, due out on the 17th of February, courtesy of 4AD. The compilation was assembled by Aaron and Bryce Dessner of The National, and is tied to the Red Hot Organization.
You want me to namedrop? Okay, I’ll namedrop: The two-disc compilation features unreleased songs from Dirty Projectors with David Byrne, Arcade Fire, Yo La Tengo, Bon Iver, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Spoon, Feist with Ben Gibbard, plus tons more.
The Decemberists’ sprawling track, “Sleepless,” clocks in at a downright epic eight minutes, and feels like it came straight from the Her Majesty songbook, with its gradual introduction and slow, simmering build. Or you can just listen and make up your own mind.
LISTEN:
The Decemberists – “Sleepless”
BUY: Dark Was the Night
Benefit for what?
AIDS. Not for AIDS, against it. I think you know what I mean.
The Red Hot organization has been releasing great benefits for that cause for quite some time now: http://www.redhot.org