Say Wha?!

In an interesting New York Times Magazine article on Joanna Newsom, the author was trying to make the point that Joanna is an amazing musician -- which I agree with. However, this is what the author said:

As a musician -- in pure "chops" terms -- Newsom has more in common with people like Eddie Van Halen and Wynton Marsalis than with indie stars like [Devendra] Banhart and the Decemberists. "I still don't think most people realize quite how great a musician she is," says Neal Morgan, who drums in Newsom's touring band.

Like I said, Joanna does indeed have "musical chops" and is more than just an "indie star" (playing the harp is very impressive). However, I don't know how The Decemberists are used as a contrasting example. How are they lumped into the non-musical-chops group? When thinking of indie musicians with extreme musical ability, The Decemberists usually come to my mind first. Their albums are full of complex, instrument-laden arrangements. The liner notes of their albums read like a musical instrument encyclopedia. In addition to the typical guitar/bass/piano/drums, the members also play a 12-string guitar, upright bass (plucked and bowed), accordion, Hammond organ, pedal steel guitar, lap steel guitar, Dobro, banjo, cello, violin, mandolin, Wurlitzer, theremin, bouzouki, melodica, pump organ, Moog, glockenspiel, Oberheim synthesizer, square neck guitar, hurdy gurdy, hammered dulcimer...and I assume there's more. And that's just among 5 members (though the violin was played by a 6th member that is no longer in the group...however, I wouldn't be surprised if one of the five can play violin as well). Not only do they have the ability to play a wealth of instruments, but they play them well. I'm thinking about Part 2 of The Decemberists song The Island (The Landlord's Daughter) and how fast they're all playing those instruments. My head nearly exploded when I heard that song for the first time. It's not my favorite Decemberists' song, but the way they play those instruments...damn.