Deep Dive: Burial Ground

How a song gets made

It’s hard to imagine a world where you, Machine Shop subscriber, are not aware of the fact that we (and by we I mean The Decemberists, you know, my band) released our first new song in six years last week. Right? You know that. But in the case that you might’ve been, say, trapped down a well for a couple weeks and have only now been rescued and are just starting to piece your life back together, let me be the first to tell you: The Decemberists have released their first new song in six years. It’s called “Burial Ground.” Welcome home. I’m glad you’re safe. In the future, please be careful around open wells.

And for you beloved *paid* Machine Shop subscribers, I’m going to launch into a kind of ruminating deep dive about the song, sharing the fragments that came together to make it what it is. Come along, why don’t you?