Decemberists frontman Colin Meloy is releasing a new EP of Kinks covers entitled, sensibly, Colin Meloy Sings The Kinks. This is a tour-only release designed to attract fans to Meloy’s upcoming solo dates, but to pique our collective interest, today Meloy released his version of The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society ditty “Do You Remember Walter?” His rendition makes a good case that the Decemberists owe more to the Kinks than I had previously realized; toss in some maritime imagery or some visions of old church yards and it could have just as easily come from Her Majesty The Decemberists or Picaresque. Hear it at NPR.

Colin Meloy Sings The Kinks tracklist:
1. “Waterloo Sunset”
2. “Harry Rag”
3. “The Way Love Used To Be”
4. “Do You Remember Walter?”
5. “Days”

Tour dates:
11/1 New York, NY @ Town Hall #
11/2 Glenside, PA @ Keswick Theatre #
11/4 Somerville, MA @ Somerville Theatre #
11/5 Washington, DC @ Lincoln Theatre #
11/6 Durham, NC @ Carolina Theatre Of Durham #
11/8 Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse #
11/9 Louisville, KY @ Headliners Music Hall #
11/11 Chicago, IL @ Park West #
11/12 Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre #
11/13 Minneapolis, MN @ The Woman’s Club #
1/16 Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre %
1/17 San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore %
1/21 Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom %
1/22 Seattle, WA @ Neptune Theatre %

# With Eleanor Friedberger
% With John Roderick