Following in the grand Sings series wherein Colin tackled selections from the catalogs of Shirley Collins (see: Colin Meloy Sings Trad. Arr. Shirley Collins) and Morrissey (see: Colin Meloy Sings Morrissey), the Decemberists’ prog-folk poet brings good tidings of a new sound recording tackling a songwriter much closer to his heart: himself. Instead of offering up another six-song EP in a remembrance of Sings past, however, this time Colin’s coming with a full course of 17 tunes, all recorded during his acoustic tour of ’06. According to P4K, Live! includes:

• songs from Meloy’s first band, Tarkio
• tunes from all Decemberists full-lengths pre-The Crane Wife
• a cut from 2006 EP Picaresqueties
• two previously unreleased originals (“Dracula’s Daughter” and “Wonder”)
• bits of covers of songs by the Smiths, R.E.M., Pink Floyd, and Fleetwood Mac
• a traditional folk song in debt to Shirley Collins’ arrangement

All that and dapper in a seersucker to boot. Full tracklist after the jump

[Colin shot from Coachella '07]

01 “Devil’s Elbow”
02 “We Both Go Down Together”
03 “Evoking A Campfire Singalong” [banter]
04 “The Gymnast, High Above The Ground”
05 “Here I Dreamt I Was An Architect / Dreams”
06 “Dracula’s Daughter” [previously unreleased]
07 “Wonder” [previously unreleased]
08 “A Brief Introduction To Shirley Collins” [banter]
09 “Barbara Allen”
10 “The Engine Driver”
11 “On The Bus Mall”
12 “A Skull, A Ship, And A Sheep” [banter]
13 “California One”/”Youth And Beauty Brigade”/Ask”
14 “The Bachelor And The Bride”
15 “A Cautionary Song”
16 “Red Right Ankle”
17 “Bandit Queen”

Colin Meloy Sings Live! is out 4/8 on Kill Rock Stars, on CD and double gatefold LP.