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The Decemberists have released “The Better Part of Bravery,” their first new song since the band’s 2024 album, As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again. The track plays during the end credits of Wildwood, an upcoming stop-motion film adapted from Colin Meloy’s 2011 novel.
The Decemberists have released “The Better Part of Bravery,” their first new song since the band’s 2024 album, As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again. The track accompanies the end credits of Wildwood, an upcoming animated stop-motion film based on frontman Colin Meloy’s 2011 novel.
Meloy said the song offered him a way to revisit the world of Wildwood through music. In a statement reported by Consequence, he described the experience of having a song play as viewers leave the film’s forest and its story reaches its close as meaningful. The song’s placement makes it part of the film’s closing credits rather than a general tie-in unrelated to the story.
Travis Knight directed the film, which features a cast led by Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Jacob Tremblay, Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali and Angela Bassett. Wildwood is scheduled to open in theaters across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland on October 23, after a world premiere at the BFI London Film Festival on October 11.
The release marks the group’s first new music since its 2024 album, but the supplied report does not describe “The Better Part of Bravery” as part of a forthcoming album or announce a wider new release cycle. The confirmed connection is to the film and its end credits.
A New Song Tied to Wildwood
The release brings the band back with new recorded music after its 2024 album and connects its latest song directly to Meloy’s own fictional world. Because he wrote the novel on which the film is based, the track also gives the Decemberists’ frontman a role in carrying that story from page to screen through music.
For listeners, the song offers a first new Decemberists release since the 2024 album. For film audiences, its placement in the end credits makes it part of the planned close to Wildwood. The announcement, however, does not establish whether this song signals additional band releases or a new album.
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From Meloy’s Novel to Film
Wildwood is based on Colin Meloy’s 2011 debut novel. The book’s move into an animated stop-motion feature brings together Meloy’s writing and the band’s music with a film adaptation directed by Travis Knight.
The announced schedule places the film’s world premiere at the BFI London Film Festival on October 11, ahead of its planned theatrical opening on October 23 in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland. The new song is the Decemberists’ first since As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again, released in 2024, according to Consequence.
““return to the world of Wildwood in a different way.””
— Colin Meloy, as quoted in a statement reported by Consequence
No Album Plans Announced
The available announcement does not say whether “The Better Part of Bravery” will appear on a future Decemberists album, or whether more new music is planned. It also does not provide details about the song’s recording, release format or any accompanying music video. Those points should not be inferred from its connection to Wildwood.
The film’s stated release schedule is for October 2026, but the supplied report does not give further information about distribution beyond the listed countries or whether the dates could change.
Film Premiere and Theatrical Release
The next announced milestone is Wildwood’s world premiere at the BFI London Film Festival on October 11. The film is then scheduled to open in theaters in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland on October 23. The song is set to play during the end credits.
Any further Decemberists release plans remain unannounced in the supplied material. For now, the confirmed development is a standalone new song tied to the film’s release.
Key Questions
What is the Decemberists’ new song called?
The song is titled “The Better Part of Bravery.”
Where does the song appear?
It plays during the end credits of Wildwood, the upcoming animated stop-motion film based on Colin Meloy’s novel.
When was the band’s previous album?
The Decemberists’ previous album was As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again, released in 2024. The new track is their first since that album, according to the report.
When will Wildwood be released?
The film is scheduled to premiere at the BFI London Film Festival on October 11 and open in theaters across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland on October 23.
Has the band announced a new album?
No new album is announced in the supplied report. It confirms the release of the song and its connection to Wildwood, but does not give details of further Decemberists music.
Source: rss
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