The Decemberists continue their breakthrough into a quiet American folk scene calibrated for radio, as evidenced by the first title Once in My Life. The long tracks, the instrumental soaring and the Celtic accents that could exude The Crane Wise (2006) are far gone, the earthy folk that characterized the band from Portland being erased little by little throughout the albums until the modern What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World. I’ll Be Your Girl sees them pursue their metamorphosis. Homogeneous from one end to the other, alternating between melancholic ballads and sweet melodies, this eighth opus, whose production has been entrusted to John Congleton (St. Vincent, Swans and Could Nothing)—his touch seems to resolutely work on the curious We All Die Young—dived a bit more into polite American rock. © Charlotte Saintoin/Qobuz