Demonstration Tapes: Rox in the Box

Get yr shuffle back in line

I was digging through the old demo piles and I discovered this little gem: the home demo of “Rox in the Box.” Since you all are a targeted and captive audience for all things Decemberists-related, I figured that this lumpy, misshapen thing might be of some interest to you. It was written for a half-imagined stage musical about Butte, Montana set in 1917 — I’d written “This Is Why We Fight” with that in mind as well. The stage musical never left the confines of my brainpan before it was abandoned and its parts sold off to become verses and choruses for Decemberists songs. Alas. “Rox” changed pretty drastically once the band got its mitts on it — for the better, I think. But I’ll reserve judgment; you go ahead and listen: