Decibully

City of Festivals (Polyvinyl)
by Tim Den

Two of Decibully‘s main players (William Seidel and Ryan Weber) were part of The Promise Ring’s final line-up, which would explain the similarities between City of Festivals and said band’s swansong, Wood/Water. To those who didn’t appreciate Wood/Water, you’re a bag of wet monkey asses and are obviously deaf. Perhaps City of Festivals will remind you of the aforementioned album’s comforting warmth, lulling melodies, aching longing, and undeniable maturity. May you go crawling back to it like a crying baby.

Gently caressed by banjos, mandolins, Rhodes, synths, and tons of harmony vocals, City of Festivals is the sound of the Midwest indie band learning how to write beautiful Americana. Though the production is rawer than Wood/Water‘s gloss, it still conveys a bittersweetness that’ll have you going back to your photo albums and old love letters.
(PO Box 7140 Champaign, IL 61826)