The Decemberists

Another rollicking, bluesy single from The Decemberists, coinciding with the release of their sixth studio album, The King Is Dead. With Colin Meloy's plaintive vocals leading the charge, This is Why We Fight is a serious pop song, beautifully crafted and very distinctive but buoyant. Again, the sound of early REM is laced through this track, but it doesn't suffer from the association. A fantastic, heart-swelling tune.