End of the year playlist #8- The Decemberists- Valerie Plame
December 17th, 2008The first of six digital singles released as a stopgap before 2009’s concept album “Hazards of Love,” “Valerie Plame” is exactly what it sounds like: an ode to the outed CIA agent. Forget the “Hey Jude”-cribbed outro and just focus on what works: “Valerie Plame” is a silly love song with a strong hook, “Valerie Plame/If that really is your name/I would shout the same/to the world.” It’s also got everything you’d want in a good Decemberists song: lyrical wit, tight arrangements and a playful knowledge of history.
